First the crocus, then the daffodil, and next the tulip bloom to herald the return of spring. Warm weather and the joyful music of songbirds beckon us outside to soak up the sunshine, work in the yard, plant gardens, and to play. Green replaces the drab brown remnants of winter and we welcome the reawakening of nature and a new season.  This week the International Reading Association Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group shares books that celebrate this wonderful time of the year.

Arnosky, Jim. (2012). Creep and Flutter: The Secret World of Insects and Spiders. New York: Sterling. 

This nonfiction masterpiece is ideal for children who enjoy observing the insects and spiders around them. Indeed, this introduction to 200 arthropods would serve as an excellent field guide for some of the tiny (and not so tiny) creatures that share our world. Readers will learn about an array of insects and spiders ranging from a tick and tiny bedbug to a dragonfly, from a tarantula to a comet-tailed moth, from a honeybee to a praying mantis. The larger than life illustrations illuminate such details as brilliantly colored wings, scissor-like jaws, and venomous fangs. Arnosky’s concise writing, thorough research, and magnificent super-sized paintings and drawings make this book a compelling choice for nature lovers. The book includes a table of contents, six foldouts, an author’s note, and a list of additional readings about insects and spiders.
-Terrell A. Young, Brigham Young University


Ford, Jessie. (2012). My Bunny Puzzle Book. New York: Abrams. 

This vibrant four-page board book is perfect for spring reading. In simple words young readers learn what bunny likes to do. On the first page, “My bunny likes to sniff flowers” (unpaginated). A small speech bubble adds, “Twitch, twitch!” (unpaginated). In addition, bunny likes to eat carrots, listen to bumblebees and hop away. But that isn’t all. Each page contains a puzzle piece that can be removed. Little hands will love putting together the pieces to create a gray and white bunny. When the puzzle is flipped over little eyes will notice pictures of everything bunny likes to do. This book is sure to be read and played with multiple times. 
-Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver


Fogliano, Julie. (2012). And Then It’s Spring. Illustrated by Erin Stead. New York: Roaring Brook Press. 

Sometimes the best part of winter is anticipating the fresh greens of spring, something that this picture book celebrates quietly.  Swathed in a red scarf, red mittens, and a red knitted hat with a pompom on its top, a boy looks over the brown landscape and plants seeds in hopes of warmer weather. His dog, a turtle, a bunny, and various birds observe curiously. Hoping for rain and a bit of sun to nurture those seeds, he waits and watches, pondering all sorts of possibilities. Worried about the tiny seeds, he imagines that maybe the birds ate them or the stomping of lumbering bears kept them in hiding. Eventually, when he peers out the door of his house, everything is green. Each page of this book is filled with some delight that observant readers will note; for instance, the amount of smoke rising from the red house on the hill diminishes over the course of the illustrations as temperatures begin to rise and the boy sheds some of his winter wear. Through a wonderful two-page cutaway view of the earth, readers are able to see the actions of creatures busily preparing for spring when he puts his ear to the ground to hear the "greenish hum that you can only hear if you put your ear to the ground" (unpaginated). Using woodblock printing techniques and pencil, the illustrations feature the particular shades of brown and green found only at the end of one season and the start of another. The subtle secrets found within this book’s pages insure that readers will return to it to savor the joy of spring even when winter winds still howl outside their doors.
-Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman


Frost, Helen. (2012). Step Gently Out. Photos by Rick Lieder. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press. 

The text of this book—a poem—invites young readers to look carefully and closely at nature to see what tiny and amazing creatures are lurking just outside their doors. Frost uses rich language to describe the insects as “the creatures/ shine with/ stardust” (unpaginated) and “they’re/ splashed/ with/ morning/ dew” (unpaginated). Then she closes with a reminder, “In song and dance/ and stillness,/ they share the world/ with you” (unpaginated). The imagery of Frost’s words seem to dance with Lieder’s close-up photographs that share the beauty of graceful wings in flight, jewel-like droplets on a spider’s web, the glint of a katydid’s eye, and the soft, fuzzy scales on a moth’s wings. Children will want to learn more about the tiny insects around them after they experience the combination of the gentle message, the calming text, and the breathtaking photography. The author includes detailed endnotes about each of the insects and spiders that appear in the book.
-Terrell A. Young, Brigham Young University


McDonnell, P. (2011). Me…Jane. New York: Little, Brown and Co. 

Me…Jane describes the formative years of Dr. Jane Goodall, a United Nations Messenger of Peace.  This story narrates how the young Jane became interested in nature and animals, and decided to study chimpanzees in Africa.  As a girl who loved to sleep with her stuffed toy chimpanzee, Jubilee, chasing animals and observing plants in her backyard on nice spring days weren’t enough to satisfy her curiosity.  One day, interested in where chicken eggs came from, she hid in her grandmother’s chicken coop and watched the hens in order to solve the mystery.  She avidly read many books in order to learn about different animals.  Although women were not encouraged to pursue adventurous careers at that time, with the encouragement of her mother, Jane kept dreaming of going to Africa.  Her dreams ultimately brought her to Tanzania, where she discovered that chimpanzees could make and use tools just as humans do.  The India ink and watercolor illustrations allow readers a glimpse into the personality of this ground-breaking woman. This book recounts one little girl’s almost impossible dream that became a reality—and it all started in her own backyard.  
-Tadayuki Suzuki, Western Kentucky University


Millard, Glenda. (2012). Isabella’s Garden. Illustrated by Rebecca Cool. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

Many of us think of gardening in spring, and Isabella is no different. Millard tells the story of the amazing things that happen in the beloved garden, told in a similar style as the traditional nursery rhyme “This is the House that Jack Built.” Amazing things happen to the tiny seeds as Isabella and her friends observe the incredible events unfolding before their very eyes. “These are the shoots that seek the sun/ that kissed the clouds that cried the rain/ that soaked the seeds that slept in the soil,/ all dark and deep, in Isabella’s garden” (unpaginated). Rebecca Cool’s brightly colored, mixed-media illustrations capture the wonderful growth and change that takes place in astonishing garden.
-Terrell A. Young, Brigham Young University


Pfister, Marcus. (2012)  Ava’s Poppy. New York: NorthSouth Books. 

Red-haired Ava discovers a bright red poppy growing in the middle of a field near her house. Over the summer she befriends the flower and takes care of it by watering the poppy, sheltering it from heavy rain, protecting it from harsh winds. When the summer ends and the growing season is over, the flower withers and eventually dies. Ava feels the loss of a true friend. She marks the spot where her flower passed by creating a ring of stones around the area to memorialize their friendship. Winter comes and goes but Ava has not forgotten her poppy friend. In spring when Ava returns to the circle of stones and as the cycle of life promises, a new friend has started to grow within the circle. Pfister has created colorful opening and closing spreads that show the flower from seed to stem and finally the dying plant.  Teachers who are using picture books to support science concepts of life cycles will find this book useful as well as nurturing friendships whether personal or botanical.
-Karen Hildebrand , Ohio Library and Reading Consultant


Salas, Laura Purdie. (2012). A Leaf Can Be… Illustrated by Violeta Dabija. Minneapolis: Lerner. 

This lovely story in rhyme begins with, “A leaf is a leaf. It bursts out each spring when sunny days linger and orioles sing” (unpaginated). From there, Laura Purdie Salas takes young readers and listeners on a colorful tour that illustrates the leaf’s many functions, such as: “Tree topper/ Rain Stopper” and “Wind rider/ Lake glider” (unpaginated). Violeta Dabija’s stunning, evocative mixed media illustrations are the perfect compliment to Purdie’s playful text. The back matter includes a glossary, a list of books for further reading, and “More About Leaves” section that further explains each of the leaves’ many functions. Between the lyrical text and the luminous, magical illustrations, children will beg to return to this book again and again.
-Terrell A. Young, Brigham Young University


Seeger, Laura Vaccaro. (2012). Green. New York: Roaring Brook Press.

This stunning, imaginative offering from the creator of First the Egg (2007) highlights all the incredible shades of spring’s favorite color, green. A quick glance at the illustrations and simple text reveals that there are many different shades of green, ranging from the greens of a tree’s foliage to the greens of a sea turtle sliding through the ocean depths. Thus, her die-cut illustrations feature the particular green lushness of an unlogged forest on a spring day, the green of a juicy, just-cut lime, the darkish greens in a bowl of newly-shelled peas, and the slow-moving green of a caterpillar creeping across a flower petal, among others. Each double-page spread has a cut-out that belongs to the next page. Once readers reach the end of the book, they encounter opposites with a stop sign that is "never green" (unpaginated) as well as a snow-filled landscape when there is "no green" (unpaginated) to be seen. Finally, the mature trees of summer seem to be "forever green" (unpaginated). With spring’s recent arrival in some parts of the world, this is a timely title to share in the classroom. The fact that the cut-outs are designed in different shapes and sizes as well as being placed at different spots on the book's pages adds to the appeal. Readers may enjoy viewing the book trailer for this must-have classroom library title at http://us.macmillan.com/green-1/LauraSeeger. 
-Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman


Singer, Marilyn. (2012). A Stick Is an Excellent Thing: Poems Celebrating Outdoor Play. Illustrated by LeUyen Pham. Boston: Clarion Books. 

With the end of winter, youngsters love to venture outside, but sometimes they have no idea what to do once they shut the door. Despite the attraction of indoor games, playing outdoors in the spring and summer can be plenty of fun. A little imagination and a simple object or two are all that is needed, and the time will pass quickly and enjoyably as described in these 18 poems celebrating the joy of playing outdoors. Thus, one lonely boy in “First One Out” plays catch with the family poodle since no one else is around. While a boy blows a bubble “big as a planet,” (unpaginated) his younger sister creates her own small bubbles that go “sailing right behind him” (unpaginated) in the poem “Bubbles.” The children in these poems play catch and jacks, jump rope, fly high or low on a swing or roll down a grassy hill as though they were barrels. They even run through the sprinkler in glee, play Statues in their own unique way, play Hide-and-Seek, and concoct their own unappetizing soup from the most unlikely items.  The title poem "A Stick Is an Excellent Thing" points out all the possible uses for the perfect stick that might be found and used in imaginative play as a king’s scepter, a fairy’s wand or even just something to throw. The pencil and ink illustrations have been colored digitally, and all of them show boys and girls--and even an adult or two--enjoying the great outdoors. 

-Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman


Smith, Lane. (2011). Grandpa Green. New York: Roaring Brook Press 

Youngsters are often surprised to realize that the elders in their families weren’t always old. They once had youthful dreams, some of which come to fruition, and others of which are supplanted by others. In the case of Grandpa Green, who grew up on a farm while imagining a career as a horticulturist, he recalls many significant events in his life, including his bout with chicken pox, and represents them and his life stories through topiary shapes in his garden. Once an ambitious and talented young man whose college plans were derailed by WWI, Grandpa Green lived an energetic life and loved to entertain his great-grandson by sharing his precious memories.  This Caldecott Honor book follows his life from birth to his first stolen kiss to his marriage to a woman he met while in Europe to his twilight years with many offspring, blessed with many children and grandchildren.  Although age has caused him to become more forgetful and he will physically disappear some day, his wonderful memories have been captured through skillfully formed topiary shapes in his garden.  The watercolor, oil paint, and digital paint foliage illustrations and the brush and waterproof drawing ink representing the characters show that Grandpa Green was not only a simple grandfather but also an artist who cultivated his family.  Although all humans eventually become old, their memories can stay fresh through the next generation.  Grandpa Green teaches us that all families are special and have unique stories to share.  
-Tadayuki Suzuki, Western Kentucky University


Springett, Martin. (2012). Kate and Pippin: An unlikely love story. Photographs by Isobel Springett. New York: Henry Holt.

For three days, Pippin an abandoned fawn, cries out for help before Isobel Springett carries her home and places her next to Kate, a Great Dane. Kate licks and nuzzles the young deer and Pippin thinks she has found a new mother. Springett documents this unlikely bond in striking photographs. Wherever Kate goes, Pippin follows. Outside they play, roll around on the lawn, chase each other and leap everywhere. When they return home they fall asleep next to each other. One day the fawn disappears into the forest and doesn’t return for dinner. Isobel calls and Kate waits. But the next morning Pippin returns for breakfast. From then on, Pippin sleeps in the forest each night but returns to play with Kate. Gradually Pippin becomes an independent deer, returning to the farm to see Kate sometimes. This information book would make a wonderful read aloud and could be part of an animal text set.

-Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver


Stone, Phoebe. (2012) The Boy on Cinnamon Street. New York: Arthur . Levine Books.

Seventh-grade Louise has come to live with her pretty cool grandparents after a tragedy strikes her family that Louise cannot remember, or rather, has suppressed. As Louise narrates the story, she describes how she is creating a new life for herself having given up her old friends, her old neighborhood and her love of gymnastics. She has nicknamed herself Thumb, for Thumbelina, because she is so tiny, unlike her fairly large best friend Reni who stands by Thumb during this family life crisis. As spring approaches, Thumb receives a note from a secret admirer that she believes is from the pizza delivery boy, Benny. She and Reni set out to encourage a blossoming relationship with Benny only to find out the note is not from him. Standing in the wings of all this are Louise’s very supportive grandparents and Reni’s brother, Henderson. Readers will discover who is Thumb’s “biggest fan” before she realizes who the secret admirer is. Told with humor and realistic adolescent dialogue, Louise comes to terms with her father’s new family and the circumstances surrounding her mother’s death to move on and have a spring with new relationships and new beginnings.
Visit the author’s website for more books by Phoebe Stone: http://www.phoebestone.com/
-Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant


Vail, Rachel. (2012). Piggy Bunny. Illus. by Jeremy Tankard. New York: Feiwel and Friends/MacMillan. 

With Easter right around the corner this hilarious picture book will bring a lot of laughter. Liam is like all of the other piglets, except for one thing. Most piglets want to grow up to be pigs, but Liam dreams of becoming the Easter Bunny. Liam practices hopping, eating salad and delivering eggs. In the accompanying illustration Liam falls on his face, tries tasting greens and leaves a trail of broken eggs. His family thinks he is perfect the way he is with a squiggly tail, little black eyes, snouty nose, and triangular ears, but Liam believes he is the Easter Bunny. Thankfully, his grandparents respect his imagination and order him a Bunny suit on the internet. In the meantime, Liam practices hopping, eating salad and delivering eggs, though salad remains a challenge. When Liam tries on the Bunny suit and looks in the mirror, he is indeed the Easter Bunny. Every child or piglet can become anything they want to be when friends and family believe in them. 
-Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver


Warner, Sally. (2012) EllRay Jakes Walks the Plank. Illustrated by Jamie Harper. New York: Viking. 
   
Spring break is ruined! EllRay was supposed to take care of the class pet Zippy the goldfish, over spring break but his little sister Alfie accidently overfeeds him and that is the end of Zippy. This disaster happens just when things were starting to go really well for EllRay and his third grade year in school. When he returns to school after spring break he has forgotten to bring back Treasure Island, the book he borrowed from Mrs. Sanchez that she is reading aloud to the class and his classmates are furious. To make matters worse, his archenemy and the class bully, Cynthia, is unjustly blaming EllRay for a few playground and classroom issues that were not his doing. Readers who are familiar with the EllRay series will recognize how EllRay always seems to mess up. This third installment in the series brings another realistic school adventure to the early chapter book genre. Read about the entire EllRay Jakes series at the author’s website: http://www.sallywarner.com/
-Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant


Zoehfeld, Kathleen. (2012) Secrets of the Garden: Food Chains and the Food Web in Our Backyard. Illustrated by Priscilla Lamont.  New York: Knopf. 

Alice and her family are anxiously awaiting spring so they can begin planting their garden. Working the soil, starting the seeds in pots, and planting the budding sprouts they begin to watch their garden take root. Other critters are watching the garden as well and Alice narrates the comings and goings of nibbling rabbits and munching mice and buzzing insects where even the family cat and a soaring eagle drop into the garden. She discovers how many creatures, including her family, are waiting on the delicious fresh produce coming from the garden. Two chickens on nearly every page provide humor but also contribute science concepts about gardening through the speech bubbles that thread through the book explaining exactly what is happening as the garden changes including the water cycle, photosynthesis, composting and the food chains that bring the insects, rain and sun. Teachers who would like to add nonfiction read-alouds will find this book perfect on many levels. Careful examination of the often-humorous illustrations demonstrates how the garden is created and tended throughout the spring and summer.
-Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

The Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group reviews of new graphic novels continues with this list of texts to enchant and inspire readers of all ages.

GRADES K-2

Knight, Hilary. (2011). Nina in that makes me mad! New York: Toon Books/Candlewick Press.

This graphic novel is for beginning readers. Each full page spread discusses a new reason why Nina is mad. For example, Nina gets mad when her parents blame her for something she didn't do. In the accompanying illustrations Nina is taking care of her baby brother in the bathtub. Tony gets carried away and splashes a lot of water on the floor. The speech bubble states, “No more bath for you tonight” (p. 9). Nina has a perplexed face with pointy eyebrows. Other reasons Nina gets mad include: “When you don’t let me help” (p. 12), “When I try and it doesn’t work” (p. 14) and “When I need you and you make me wait” (p. 20). The last page closes with, “But I feel better when I can tell you that I’m mad!” (p. 30). This fun picture book will definitely bring about discussion. Teachers and parents could ask—Do you ever get mad like Nina? or What are some of the things that cause you to get mad?

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

Eaton, Maxwell. (2012). The flying Beaver brothers and the fishy business. New York: Random House Children’s Books. 

The Beaver brothers, Ace and Bub, uncover a plot by a corporation to use up the island’s trees to create Fish Stix for consumers in this second title in the graphic novel series. In its advertisement campaign, the corporation claims that Fish Stix, made from ground-up trees, are somehow good for the environment. The campaign promoting Fish Stix features the brothers' nemesis Bruce. It will take an alliance made up of Ace, Bub, some evil penguins who aren't all that evil, and yes, even Bruce to stop the corporation before the trees are all gone. There are plenty of funny lines and visual humor as well to keep young readers entertained as well as informed. Using spots of green in the pen and ink and digitally colored illustrations complements perfectly the forests being destroyed so casually and so purposelessly. Older readers will recognize the greed behind the corporation's marketing of a product for which there really is no need and possibly compare those actions with some advertising campaigns by corporations today. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman 

GRADES 3-5

Eaton, Maxwell. (2012). The flying beaver brothers and the evil penguin plan. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. 

In this second book, the Beaver brothers are swinging off a rope, hang gliding to a beach, and surfing some waves. All of a sudden some penguins steal one of the beaver’s surfboards. An immediate chase begins. Fortunately, beavers can make bridges between cliffs pretty quickly by gnawing down trees. The beavers follow the penguins under water to a large refrigerator at the bottom of the ocean. They notice that the penguins are viewing large blue prints, but aren’t sure what is going on. Readers will have many questions at this point in the book, making inferences and predictions. Later, Ace and Bub return to the ocean to enter the large refrigerator. They learn that the penguins are planning to create a frozen paradise using the ice machine. One beaver escapes and shuts down the refrigerator’s turbine, thus saving their island. This humorous book seems to have a deeper meaning—are humans destroying the penguin habitat? 

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver 

Krosoczka, Jarrett J. (2012). Lunch Lady and the mutant mathletes. New York: Knopf. 

Dee, Hector, and Terrence, also known as the Breakfast Bunch, are forced to join the extracurricular Mathletes as their punishment for missing the museum field trip in the previous title. In this, the seventh installment of the Lunch Lady graphic novel series, the friends are definitely not thrilled to spend time after school solving math problems. But joining the Mathletes turns out to be less painful than they had expected. Even Dee comes around once the private school kids from Willoughby Academy denigrate the public school kids of Thompson Brook. The two teams roll on inexorably toward the final round of competition where they face each other. But there's something odd about the private school students and their competitive teacher, and it's up to Lunch Lady and her cafeteria side-kick Betty to figure out what's going on. Not only does she come through, yellow gloves, Cannoli-oculars, and Pineapple mace in tow, but so do Orson, the Mathlete over-achiever, and Mr. Kalowski, the school janitor. The book’s lessons are sound, accompanied by the Lunch Lady’s expostulations such as "Moldy Bread!" and "Sweet BBQ sauce!” Not only does the ever-ready Lunch Lady fight for justice, but she can also be depended upon to whip up a yummy batch of cookies just when they're needed. 

- Barbara A. Ward Washington State University Pullman 

GRADES 6-7 

Neel, Julien. (2012) Lou! Secret Diary. Translation by Carol Klio Burrell. Minneapolis: Graphic Universe. 

Translated from its original French and winner of the Youth Prize of the Angouleme International Comics Festival, this graphic novel looks exactly like a comic book that might be found on store shelves. It stars twelve-year old Lou who is plowing headlong into adolescence. Trying to catch the eye of the boy across the street, in addition to finding a boyfriend for her single mom as well as designing her own clothes and fashion statement, this tween also keeps a diary of her thoughts and opinions, some of which are colorfully portrayed on the end pages of the book. Lou’s diary provides a fun yet also serious look at that stage of pre-dating, dealing with crushes on boys and peer pressures. It’s easy to see why Lou is so popular in so many different countries. 

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Reading and Library Consultant 

Nelson, O. T., & Jolley, Dan. (2012). The girl who owned a city: The graphic novel. Illus. by Joelle Jones. Minneapolis: Graphic Universe. 

Originally written in 1975, this book of survival after an apocalyptic event translates well to the graphic novel format. After a virus kills everyone older than twelve, leaving those left behind to fend for themselves, Lisa Nelson and her younger brother are managing to survive, thanks to Lisa's ability to find food and supplies. Others use numbers and intimidation to take what they need, and Lisa forms a neighborhood coalition to guard against the marauding gangs. When the alliance fails, she fortifies a former school where her allies will be safe. Everyone has jobs to do, but Lisa feels responsible for everyone in her city. This graphic novel only hints at what may lie ahead for the survivors of the virus once they turn 12—or the emotional cost of being responsible for so many other dependents. Lisa's self-reliance and her determination to help others be self-reliant are particularly appealing in the original story and in this adaptation. While she and her friend Craig may have very different ways of finding happiness, both seek self-reliance. The title raises many issues; for instance, how will the survivors cope when all the available supplies have been depleted, and what happens when the society with which we are familiar has disappeared? 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman 

Phelan, Matt. (2011). Three remarkable journeys around the world. Somerville, MA: Candlewick. 

Jules Vern’s Around the World in Eighty Days provided the inspiration for three adventurers who set out on their own worldwide journeys. First, questioning the value of ten years spent working in a mine, Thomas Stevens purchased a large-wheeled bicycle in 1884 and then rode it 3,700 miles from San Francisco to Boston. Upon reaching Boston, Stevens decided he was ready for a larger challenge and took off on an around the world bicycle ride. Reports of his journey were published over a three-year period in Outing magazine. Nellie Bly, a daring and dashing female reporter, embarked on her own journey around the world in 1889. She met her goal to return in less than 80 days since her travels lasted 72 days. During that time, the New York World, the newspaper for which she worked, sold record numbers of papers with updates on Bly’s fabled journey. Finally, Joshua Slocum set out in 1895 to become the first person to traverse the globe alone in a small boat. Neither storms nor pirates stopped Slocum from reaching his goal. The inspiring stories of these three independent individuals fit the graphic novel format well with Phelan’s artwork almost seeming to resemble a film screen. 

- Terrell A. Young, Brigham Young University 

GRADES 9-12 

Hicks, Faith Erin. (2012). Friends with boys. New York: First Second/Roaring Brook Press. 

Maggie, who has been homeschooled all of her life, is understandably nervous about her first day at high school. Her three older brothers insist that she must go it alone since they did. She navigates the school corridors, alone except for the ghost that keeps following her, eventually making friends with two siblings, Lucy and Alistair. There are hints about the story behind the rift between the Mohawk-wearing Alistair and volleyball star Matt. When Alistair finally tells Maggie the story behind his haircut, it's easy to understand his reluctance to stand up for his sister or for the males who have been ridiculed for their preference for drama rather than sports. It's impossible not to like Maggie and understand her confusion about the often cruel high school social order. While there are some similarities to Anya's Ghost, this graphic novel can be savored for its own strengths, including its accurate depiction of the sometimes rocky shoals of high school and family. The author encourages readers to examine their own tendencies to judge others by their appearances when appearances are often masks behind which others may hide their true nature.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman 

Long, Mark & Demonakas, Jim. (2012). The silence of our friends. Illus. by Nate Powell. New York: First Second/Roaring Brook. 

Set in the late part of the racially volatile 1960s in Houston, Texas, this graphic novel tackles the challenging topic of civil rights. The story follows two different individuals whose lives come together unexpectedly: a white television newsman reporting on the city’s civil rights protests, and an African-American Texas Southern University faculty member involved in the protests. When the protests turn violent, leading to the death of a police officer, the blame is placed on a handful of TSU students. The trial that results divides the city even more. The starkly stunning black and white illustrations evoke a sense of a time and place during which it was hard to know who to trust or what to believe. This graphic novel plunges readers right in the midst of this turmoil-filled period. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman 

Lyga, Barry. (2011). Manga man. Illus. by Colleen Doran. New York: Houghton Mifflin. 

When Ryoko, an attractive androgynous young man with beautiful feminine and masculine features, falls through a rip in time and space and lands in our world, he is shunned by many humans. The difference that makes others shun him makes him more attractive to Marissa Montaigne, a popular, beautiful teen who is bored with her life and her relationship with a hard-drinking football player. The romance between Ryoko and Marissa parallels that of Romeo and Juliet, complete with scenes in which Ryoko leans from his window and talks about his growing attraction to Marissa while she overhears him while hiding in the bushes beneath his compound. When he shows Marissa the different dimensions, she is able to move from one cartoon panel to the next. The pen and ink illustrations are beautiful and show the inner and outer beauty of this unlikely couple. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman 

O’Connor, George. (2012). Hades: Lord of the dead. New York: First Second/Roaring Brook Press. 

Sticking closely for the most part to the original story of Demeter, Hades, and Persephone in this fourth title in the Olympian series, the creator of this graphic novel describes how Hades kidnaps Persephone—known as Kore on Earth—and shows her around his kingdom. While she is gone, her mother, Demeter, allows the crops to fail as she searches for her daughter. Once she finds Kore again, she agrees to allow new life to bud on Earth to celebrate her daughter’s return. Of course, during the time her daughter must return to Hades, cold weather will cover the Earth, representing Demeter’s sadness at being separated from her child. But this updated story contains a twist as Persephone comes into her own while in the Underworld. Out from under the control of her mother, she flourishes, and although she is glad to be reunited with her mother, she is also relieved to return to Hades, enough so that she lies about having consumed any foods while in Hades the first time around. This is an empowered version of Persephone, unwilling to be a pawn in a game played by the gods. The different perspective is refreshing, allowing Persephone to make her own mark on how things are done in her new kingdom. One of the best illustrations is the last one, which shows the two rulers on their underground thrones, Hades with just the slightest smile on his lips. Fans of mythology will relish this moody version of the classic story. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman 

Yang, Gene Luen. (2011). Level up. Illus. by Thien Pham. New York: First Second/Roaring Brook Press. 

In the latest offering from the creator of American Born Chinese, Gene Luen Yang returns to the themes he covered in his earlier graphic novel: the clash between parental expectations and one's own dreams, cultural expectations, coming of age, and the journey to self-acceptance, among others. The story focuses on Dennis Ouyang, a boy whose attraction to video games has been denigrated by his parents in favor of academic success. After his father dies, Dennis plays games so much that he is kicked out of college. Four angels intervene and set him back on the path of success, but they allow him to have no fun whatsoever. His hard work pays off, and he is accepted into med school, but still he wonders about his life goals and whether he wants to spend the rest of his life doing what his father wanted him to do. Dennis ends up quitting med school and starts playing games for cash prizes. He returns to medical school after he realizes that he wants to make a difference in the world, only to find that the manual dexterity honed by all those games will actually be useful in his chosen area of specialization. The lines between reality and fantasy blur interestingly in this book with soft colored artwork and slight but pertinent visual references to video games at the beginning of each section. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

More and more teachers and parents are realizing that graphic novels are an easy way to hook reluctant readers as well as keep older readers engaged. While many readers are familiar with Jennifer and Matthew Holm’s Babymouse series, Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, Jeff Smith’s Bone series, and even Kazu Kibuishi’s Amulet series, there are more and more graphic novels on a wide variety of topics available for the readers of all ages. If you’re interested in dipping your toes into some graphic novels, check out the books reviewed this week by members of the International Reading Association's Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group, and be sure to visit the informative No Flying No Tights website at http://noflyingnotights.com. The site serves up graphic novel reviews and resources for those who want to be in the know. 

GRADES 1-2

Kroll, Steven. (2012). Chick and Chickie Play All Day! Ill. by Claude Ponti. Somerville, MA: Toon Books/Candlewick. 

As do most good friends, Chick and Chickie have fun playing together. First, they decide to make masks, and they take turns scaring one another. Next they decide to play school and have a good time with the letter A. They try different things with the first letter of the alphabet to see what sounds it will make. Beginning readers will enjoy a graphic novel such as this one that they can read independently.

- Terrell A. Young, Brigham Young University

GRADES 3-5

Aguirre, Jorge. (2012). Giants, beware! Illus. by Rafael Rosado. New York: First Second/Roaring Brook. 

Outspoken and ill-mannered, Claudette refuses to accept the palatable but simplified version of how her town was saved from a giant many years ago. When signs seem to indicate that the giant, who was allowed to return to his home, has reverted to his taste for babies’ toes, Claudette has had enough and takes matters into her own hands. While her friend Marie is interested only in becoming a princess, and her younger brother Gaston dreams of owning his own pastry shop, Claudette tricks the two into joining her quest. Relying on their wits and Claudette's physical prowess as a fighter, they make their way through various perils—including a hag guarding an apple crop while dreaming of the beauty she lost because of a spell and a water king in search of a consort for his son—only to meet a giant. But this giant only wants to play, and in order to trick the townspeople who want to rescue the children and kill the giant, they concoct a simple ruse to fool them into thinking the giant has been killed. The story is great fun to read since the characters have such vivid personalities—even Valiant, a pug who often leaves his signs everywhere they go. While there are some loose ends at the story's conclusion, it would be impossible not to like these loyal friends. While giants might want to beware, so should readers since this title is so addictive. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Holm, Jennifer & Holm, Matt. (2011). Squish No.2: Brave New Pond.  New York: Random House.

Following his oozy introduction in Squish No. 1: Super Amoeba, Squish prepares for the first day of school, which he vows will be different this time. He’s even made a to-do list that includes trying to be accepted by the “in” crowd led by the six super-cool Algae brothers. The book is reminiscent of a teen novel with intimidating high school bullies but with a twist: it’s filled with pond vocabulary. If Squish wants to hang out with the big Algae brothers, he must dump nacho cheese over his nerdy friend Pod. Squish reflects on what his comic book hero Super Amoeba might do in order to resolve this moral dilemma and makes the right decision. Green highlights throughout this graphic novel keep the idea of the pond culture ever present, even in the school administrator’s name—Principal Planaria. This is a great book to use at the start of the school year or even throughout the year since it tackles many issues faced by middle graders, such as fitting in, loyalty, and bullying. Teachers might like to use the book trailer on author Jennifer Holm’s website at www.jenniferholm.com to introduce Squish and create some predictions about the beginning of school. The fun doesn’t end when the book does since readers can create their own slime from a recipe in the “Fun Science with Pod” section at the book’s conclusion.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Reading and Library Consultant

GRADES 6-7

Ignatow, Amy. (2012). The Popularity Papers: The rocky road trip of Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang. New York: Amulet Books.

As sixth grade finally ends, best friends Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang have great plans for the summer. But those plans are changed when Lydia’s mother must return to London for her job and her Goth sister Melody heads to Guatemala for a work project. The two friends end up on a road trip with Julie's two fathers. After a cross-country flight, they help Julie’s grandparents move and then drive across the United States, making stops along the way to see the sights and visit family members. A brief visit with Lydia's father ends disappointingly since he has no time to spend with her and her stepbrothers are just as bratty as Melody described them. While some of the sections featuring neat facts about the places they have visited have a decidedly informative element, the storyline allows all the characters, even Melody, to evolve. As they watch the adults in their lives navigate their own family dynamics, Julie and Lydia record their observations in their notebook and realize that growing up doesn’t mean escaping from parental expectations. The ink, colored pencil, colored marker, yarn, and digital illustrations fit the girls' personalities perfectly, adding immeasurably to the pleasures of reading this fourth title in the popular series.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Kibuishi, Kazu. (2012). Explorer: The mystery boxes: Seven graphic stories. New York: Amulet Books. 

Seven short graphic stories are connected by their authors’ various attempts to answer the question of “What exactly is in the box?” Each separate and unique story has the appearance of the mysterious box at the core of the plot, leaving the reader to figure out each box’s contents. In addition to the popular graphic novel artist Kibuishi, the other stories are illustrated by such distinguished artists as Raina Telgemeier, Rad Sechrist, Jason Caffoe, Stuart Livingston, Johane Matte, Dave Roman, and newcomer Emily Carroll. The stories cover a broad range of territory, including war, the Earth’s possible future, and all sorts of trickery, and each approach to the question is different. While some stories are filled with humor and suspense, others may be more suited for mature readers. The cover art is perfect for enticing kids to reach for a title where much mystery awaits.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Reading and Library Consultant

GRADES 9-12

Arni, Samhita. (2011). Sita’s Ramayana.  Art by Moyna Chitrakar. Toronto: Groundwood Books. 

Departing from the traditional way of telling this epic tale from India, the author has chosen to relate the story from a more feminist point of view through the voice of Sita, the wife of King Rama, as the storyteller. Although the story stays true to its traditional roots dating from 300 B.C.E. and the illustrator has used Indian Patua scrolls on which to base the newly designed graphic style, the artwork stays true to the original story of demons stealing the queen after Rama has foolishly and harshly insulted them. Now a prisoner kidnapped by the demons, Sita can rely only on hearsay and the friendship of animals to make her existence bearable. Battles are waged for her return, and eventually are successful although Sita’s experiences have marked her, and her newfound independence continues after she has been rescued. The illustrations are engaging, vibrant and bold to give the story new life. The title was selected as an ALA Notable. The author, who lives in India, can be heard in this television interview discussing the book and back story and her reasons for using Sita’s strong female voice at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5MisgSFP1Q&feature=youtu.be.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Reading and Library Consultant

Bertozzi, Nick. (2011). Lewis & Clark.  New York: First Second Books/ Macmillan.

Using a more oversized format than most graphic novels, Bertozzi describes a journey based on historical fact but with a hint of humor to the story of the explorers and their entourage. These historical characters are portrayed with awareness of their unique personalities and foibles as they face hardships in search of the passage to the West. Readers view a tableau of this epic historic journey through the stories of encounters with treacherous mountains and rivers and attempts to appease the sometimes difficult Lewis as well as watching Sacagawea, the only woman on the trek, act as translator. Then, too, there are scenes that make it clear just how exasperating it must have been to deal with the clumsy Charbonneau’s attempts to assist the group. Following the speech bubbles, the author/illustrator expresses the feelings and emotions of the characters in each new situation along the trail. This is the first in a planned series of graphic novels on explorers with the next title focusing on Ernest Shackleton’s expedition to Antarctica. 

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Reading and Library Consultant

Brosgol, Vera. (2011). Anya’s ghost. New York: First Second/Roaring Brook Press. 

As do so many teens, Anya finds it difficult to fit in at her high school. For one thing, there’s her name—the hard-to-pronounce Borzakovskaya, which hints at her Russian immigrant background. Plus, compared with her slender classmates, she considers herself too plump. Then, too, she is haunted by the ghost of Emily, a girl who died almost a century earlier. Anya feels sorry for Emily when she hears the story of how she died, and when she is rescued, Emily's ghost comes along with her. At first, things are great: Emily helps Anya cheat on her exams and gives her advice about how to attract the attentions of Sean, the basketball star on whom she has a crush. But eventually, Anya’s eyes are opened to the truth about both Sean and her ghost friend who seems, with each passing day, to be less a friend than someone trying to take over Anya’s life unless she puts Emily back where she belongs. Although this wonderful graphic novel about being an outsider is downright scary, it is also very, very funny. It’s hard to decide what aspect is most frightening—a ghost who doesn’t know her place or high school with its particular pecking order where knowing your place seems essential for survival.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University

Jablonski, Carla. (2011) Resistance Book 2: Defiance. Art by Leland Purvis. New York: First Second Books/Roaring Brook Press.

Book 2 in the planned trilogy Resistance, Defiance is historical fiction and graphic novel steeped in facts from WWII and the French Resistance. Set in a village in France, the story focuses on Paul, his mother and two sisters. Their father has been taken away by the Nazis. Paul’s hatred of the Germans and what is happening to his occupied country compels him to become the youngest member of the resistance group hiding in the forests nearby. Not only does Paul’s artwork provide maps for the resistance fighters, but his anti-Nazi posters get him into real trouble. His sisters demonstrate ways of resistance that are more subtle than their brother’s, such as refusing to sing the new government’s songs at schools. Sylvie, the older sister, dates a German soldier to gather information and learns the Nazis are planning to raid a suspected group, the Maquis, within the resistance. The story ends on a suspenseful note that will leave readers anxious for the third and final volume. The pictures and speech bubbles work well together to bring this period of history to life through engaging characters. The author has provided historical notes at the beginning and end of the book that was selected for the ALA Great Graphic Novels for Teens list.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Reading and Library Consultant

Kerns, Ann. (2012). I date dead people. Illus. by Janina Gorrissen. Minneapolis: Graphic Universe. 

The My Boyfriend Is a Monster graphic novel series is delightful, and this one, the fifth in the series, is sure to bring new fans to the series. Jane Austen-fan Nora Reilly despairs of finding a Mr. Darcy or even a Heathcliff in today's modern world, and even the eligible guys at school don’t pay any attention to her.  Nora’s friend Kirsty suggests that popular guy Nick Harris might fit the bill, but Nora is certain that he doesn’t even know who she is. Romance comes for Nora when her parents’ plan to get rid of the grandfather clock in the house prompts a ghostly visit from Thomas Barnes who died when he was eighteen. The two teens spend time together, falling in love, and fighting off the evil spirits in the house with the help of a psychic. Because of Nora's help, Tom is finally able to cross over into the spirit world, leaving her free to love someone who's been waiting for her all along. This is a cool story with a strong-minded heroine and a storyline with many possibilities.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Mark Prensky calls 21st century children digital natives because they learned to crawl alongside a PC. Digital natives are adept at playing video games, surfing the internet, and texting their friends. Classroom teachers are considered digital immigrants because they were not born during the digital age and are learning the computer language. All of the books discussed below by members of the International Reading Association Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) will appeal to digital natives and digital immigrants since they infuse technology. 

GRADES K-3

Dyckman, Ame. (2012). Boy + Bot. Illus. by Dan Yaccarino. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.  

Ame Dyckman’s debut into the picture book world begins with this BFR (Big Friendly Robot). One day Boy meets Robot in the woods and they are instant friends. When Robot goes home with Boy to play, his on/off button gets pushed and he powers down. Boy thinks there is something wrong and uses traditional home remedies to nurse him back to life: applesauce and reading aloud. When Boy falls asleep Bot’s button is pushed back ON and thinks something is wrong with Boy. With only technological know-how, Robot tries to bring Boy to life with oil and reading the instruction manual. When Bot tries to think how a battery might help, Inventor arrives to yell, “Stop!” and is able to remedy the situation. Told in simple language, the friendship developed between Boy and Bot is as real as the wordless double-page spreads at the end of the book warmly depict. For more information and reviews, visit the author’s website and blog. 

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Milgrim, David. (2011). Goodnight iPad: A parody for the next generation. New York: Blue Rider Press/Penguin Group.

“In the bright buzzing room / There was an iPad / And a kid playing Doom / And a screensaver of—“ (unpaginated). In the accompanying illustrations, reminiscent of the original Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, there are six young rabbits playing gadgets such as an iPod, laptop, or radio. Later, father rabbit is lounging in a chair with empty bookshelves behind him. The text says, “There were three little Nooks / With ten thousand books” (unpaginated). A full page spread depicts a huge LCD television with Wi-Fi and HDTV. All of the taps, beeps, dings and plinks of emails and tweets are keeping the old woman awake. She finally can’t take it anymore and grabs a gadget, “Goodnight iPad” (unpaginated). The boy rabbit holds on tightly screaming, “Noooooooooooo” (unpaginated). Soon other technology instruments—remotes, MP3s, and a BlackBerry—are thrown out the window. The rabbits scream and cry in dismay, yet grandma rounds them up and puts them to bed. Slowly the illustrations dim to dark with snoring rabbits. On the closing page a young rabbit holds a flashlight and reads the original picture book that this parody is based off of. 

- Deanna Day, Washington State University, Vancouver

Smith, Lane. (2010). It’s a book. New York: Roaring Brook Press.

A curious donkey watches as his monkey friend reads a book, a novelty item for the donkey. Wondering what it can do and how to scroll through its pages or blog with it, skills with which he is familiar from his online reading experiences, he is also curious about how such a passive creation can keep his friend entertained. After all, it doesn’t tweet, twitter, text, or make its characters fight like the donkey’s computer programs can. For fans of the digital world, this picture book is a deliciously satiric poke at all the things books actually can do, and as the monkey says on the next to last page, there’s no need even to charge it up once you’ve finished with it. As bibliophiles know, once a book has been completed, it’s ready for the next reader or even a reread by the same reader without any fussy downloads or technical considerations. A book, after all, is a book, no batteries needed. The simple illustrations add to this tribute to reading the old fashion way with a mouse hiding beneath the monkey’s hat and popping out to make sly observations rather than to help navigate through the book’s pages. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

GRADES 5-8

Gifford, Clive. (2012). Cool Tech. New York: Scholastic Reference.

Coming this spring as the companion to the author’s Cool Tech (DK, 2011), this new volume gives kids a look at the technology behind their favorite video games, cell phones, GPS systems, and more. These gadgets we have gotten used to operating everyday are taken apart and given explanations as to how they actually work. In addition to everyday tech forms, enter the world of cyborgs, spy gadgets and air and land vehicles. Looking at the science behind these favorite and fun technologies, will give readers the why and how things work. 

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Reese, Jenn. (2012). Above World. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

Technologically dependent upon breathing necklaces that are failing, the undersea colony of Coral Kampii is in danger. Fleeing from on overpopulated world generations earlier, the Kampii have found a way to genetically modify themselves to living under the oceans but that way of life is now endangered. No one has the knowledge to repair the aging breathing devices. Thirteen-year-old Aluna and her techno-savvy friend Hoku make the decision to leave their underwater world and search for a solution Above World. They encounter other creatures that have adapted to living conditions that will remind the reader of creatures from mythology. Though an adventure story with exciting twists and turns, this science fiction journey is also about trust and friendship. Visit this first time author at her website to keep up with the next venture into Above World. 

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Shulman, Mark and Hazlitt Krog. (2012). Attack of the Killer Video Book: Tips & tricks for young directors. Revised and updated. Ontario, CA: Annick Press/Firefly Books.  

As digital cameras continually improve on phones and individual cameras, and YouTube and FaceBook video postings become more popular, this new edition of Attack of the Killer Video Book offers the latest tips for young filmmakers. Tips include lighting, special effects, shooting from phone cameras or webcams and music videos. The design and layout of the book with sidebars and speech bubbles make this a very kid-friendly handbook. Suggestions for marketing or posting your videos are included. For teachers who are interested in incorporating video techniques and ideas for large groups in classrooms, the publisher has a detailed lesson plan available. 

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

GRADES 9 to 12

Brooks, Kevin. (2011). iBoy. New York: Scholastic. 

Set in the future, Tom is hit by an iPhone on his way to visit a childhood friend. The surgeons do their best to remove it but fragments are still lodged in his brain. He becomes part human and part iPhone. He is able to hear phone calls, read emails and texts, hack into databases, take photographs and videos—essentially anything an iPhone can do but more. Tom can see a mobile phone in the back of someone's pocket and instantly download and scan information, thus knowing everything about this stranger. In addition, his scar transmits electrical shocks and his skin glows like a lit up iPhone at night. When his friend, Lucy, is assaulted by a gang he sets out to solve who did it and why using all of his iPhone capabilities and superpowers. Later he is faced with some moral decisions. This is the prefect novel for young adolescents who have their cell phones attached to their ears. 

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

Davies, Stephen. (2011). Outlaw. New York: Clarion Books. 

Suspended from his British boarding school for geothimbling and climbing a wall into an off-limits area, fifteen-year-old Jake Knight is sent to join his parents in Burkina Faso where he anticipates much adventure. Unsurprisingly, adventure finds him and his sister Kas when they are kidnapped at an elaborate banquet by two men trying to blame the kidnapping on Yakuuba Sor, a master of disguise considered by some to be a terrorist and by others to be a hero of the common folks. The action in the book is fast paced with something exciting happening in just about every chapter. There is humor in its pages as well, and readers are likely to be intrigued by the growing awareness of Jake and Kas that things are not as they seem, and that the alleged good guys may not be on the right side, after all. Jake’s sister Kas is more aware than her brother of the suffering of the poor in this country and the division between those with money and influence and those with few resources. Ironically, the very individuals Jake has been disdainful toward are the ones who help the two siblings escape from their captors. Adding to the intrigue are the nifty technological touches such as low-tech but useful ways to charge batteries, the Mosquito ringtone able to be heard only by young ears, a beetle with a GPS component, and most chilling, the Predator, a highly effective bomb whose use promises complete annihilation of its target area and any humans within its range. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Hautman, Pete. (2012). The Klaatu Diskos: The obsidian blade. Somerville, MA: Candlewick. 

Fearful that his minister father will realize he has broken a rule, Tucker Feye watches as his father seems to disappear into thin air while on top of the roof of the house. Returning an hour later with Lahlia, a girl he claims to have found wandering alone downtown, Tucker’s father has lost his faith and no longer believes in the existence of God. As his father becomes increasingly depressed and his mother is drawn into an obsession with counting and numbers, Tucker engages in reckless behaviors with his neighbor friends. When he returns from an outing one day, his parents have disappeared, intent on finding help for his mother, and he has been left in the care of his uncle Kosh, a man he barely knows. While living in his reconstructed barn, Tucker sees a disk similar to the one he saw atop the roof when his father went missing. Eventually, he realizes that these disks provide avenues to the past and to the future as he desperately searches for his parents amid many shifts of time and setting and several attempts on his life. Most intriguing of all are the author’s hints that society's obsession with computer-related numbers can be blamed for the mental and emotional problems for its citizens, adding to its timeliness. Doctors even blame what they call Rapid-onset Autism-like Disorder in Tucker’s mother on her incessant solving of Sudoku puzzles. There is plenty of food for thought here, and while Hautman may be trying to do too much in this one--with time travel, disorders brought on by technology, prophets, extinct species that aren't extinct after all, and mendicants who use technology to heal--it will be interesting to see what happens in the next installment of this promised trilogy. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman 

Meyer, Marissa. (2011). Cinder. New York: Feiwel and Friends/Macmillan. 

Marissa Meyer’s science fiction transformation of the “Cinderella” story introduces a Chinese cyborg, Linh Mei, or Cinder as her friends know her. Being a cyborg earns Cinder second-class status from most people in New Beijing as well as the disdain of her stepmother. Yet, all of the technology pulsing throughout her body has some obvious benefits. For instance, she can easily detect someone's dishonesty, and she has the reputation of being the best mechanic in New Beijing. This reputation actually brings the prince to her in hopes that she can repair his android before the annual ball. When the Letumosis pandemic threatens her stepsister’s life, Cinder is “volunteered” for plague research that no one has ever survived. It is during this testing that Cinder learns she is more than just a cyborg. Readers will anxiously await the next books in the Lunar Chronicles so they can learn Cinder's fate.

- Terrell A. Young, Brigham Young University

McLaughlin, Lauren. (2011). Scored. New York: Random House. 

Once the Second Depression effectively eradicates the middle class, the future of the next generation is determined by scores determined by a computer program. Scores are posted periodically, and students move through various peer groups according to those scores. Through a series of surveillance tools--smart-cams or “eyeballs” as the teens like to call them--students are observed both while at school and on the street for any violations of the five elements of fitness: peer group, impulse control, congruity, diligence, and rapport. In this society, individuals are known and scored for the company they keep, and loyalty has little value since it won't earn any points. Imani's score drops drastically because of her friend’s decision to have a relationship with one of the unscored, leaving her with little chance at the college scholarship and successful future promised by a score 90 or above. In desperation, she pairs up with Diego Landis, one of the unscored, to write an essay examining both sides to the scoring system, but her motives are dishonest. Eventually, Imani realizes that the scoring system, perhaps intended to interrupt the pattern of poverty, is at its core simply another sorting machine with the ultimate goal being human perfection. Much of the book mirrors today’s tendency to define individuals by their own numbers--GPAs, SAT scores, salaries--numbers that have little to do with human worth or the characteristics that should matter. Readers are likely to ponder how succeeding at the scoring system means failing at being an individual and shedding the best of human nature. Could such a system, taken to extremes, eradicate kindness, generosity, and collaboration, behaviors avoided unless they are rewarded with points? This is a provocative title that raises important questions. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Price, Lissa. (2012). Starters. New York: Delacorte Press. 

On the run ever since the Spore Wars claimed her parents, Callie Woodland has been living in whatever abandoned spaces she and her brother Tyler can find. Because Tyler is sick and other survivors seem willing to fight to the death for food and space, Callie rents her body to wealthy older patrons via Prime Destinations, an outfit based in Beverly Hills and run by the mysterious Old Man. Since the Spore Wars killed off anyone between the age of twenty and sixty, teens such as Callie, known as Starters, are highly prized for the illusion of youth they can provide to the older generation or Enders. While technological advances have made it possible for them to live longer, it can’t stave off the effects of time. After weighing the benefits and the risks, Callie signs a contract, is cleaned up and beautified, and undergoes surgery to implant a microchip in her brain. But something goes wrong during her third rental, and she is able to hear the voice of the woman renting her body. The woman has become convinced that Prime Destinations had something to do with her missing granddaughter. As Callie wonders if she can trust anyone, even an unexpected love interest, she wishes she had not ignored the warning signs that things were not as they seemed. The book provides an interesting twist on today's society, which often seems to cater to teens and ignore the tastes of the elderly. Since there will be a follow-up title, perhaps the book’s lingering questions will be answered and the characters will be fleshed out even more. One thing is for certain: The future being painted here is bleak. This title is vivid proof that desperate individuals will agree to desperate solutions to their problems, and there is always someone ready to take advantage of their desperation. 

- Barbara A. Ward,Washington State University Pullman

Wells, Dan. (2012). Partials. New York: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins.  

A futuristic dystopia is created when a virus is unleashed by corporation ParaGen with the introduction of Partials, genetically engineered semi-humans who are taking the place of real human beings. The virus has wiped out most of human civilization and only a few thousand survivors remain. The virus has made it impossible for human babies to survive more than 56 hours after birth. Survivor Kira Walker, a 16 year old medic, is determined to fight the Partials and discover a way to bring back human life and a future for the survivors. Civilization is barely maintaining with limited resources like electricity, fuel, and transportation and even less hope that things will ever improve. So far Kira’s attempts have failed. Her latest idea is to capture a Partial and learn from it, which brings surprising results. Military action, scavenging, and a host of characters make this fast moving plot fraught with suspense. This first installment in a planned series will leave readers with a cliffhanger ending and anxiously awaiting the next book. The publishers have created an intriguing book trailer. In addition, this new series has a website and FaceBook fan page. 

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

by Judith Hayn

Levine, K.  (2012). The lions of Little Rock.  New York, NY: Putnam.

In 1958 Little Rock, Arkansas, the high schools have been closed rather than integrate following the crisis the year before when nine students attended Central High School. Twelve-year-old Marlee Nisbett finds it hard to connect with people, but she and her sister Judy are close. When Judy has to go to a neighboring town to finish school, Marlee protects herself by continuing to recite mathematical calculations in her head rather than talking.  Then Elizabeth Fullerton arrives, and Marlee finds a friend when she surprisingly opens her mouth and invites Liz to eat at her lunch table. Their friendship is extraordinary as both gain from knowing each other, but one day Liz just disappears. She has been “passing” on her parents’ orders, and others have discovered her secret. Marlee and Liz arrange to meet each other secretly, but lives are at stake when their families and neighbors discover them; the two are caught up in the violence. Their friendship and loyalty is intertwined with the realities of a school district and a city trying to survive the turmoil of the aftermath of the Little Rock Nine. Standing up for your beliefs isn't easy, and for Marlee whose shyness is legendary, it requires genuine courage. Levine has created a character whose small voice speaks for the confusion of the times and brings a new understanding to the issues.

Dr. Judith A. Hayn is an Associate Professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

This article is part of a series from the Special Interest Group Network on Adolescent Literature (SIGNAL).