“Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble” is Shakespeare’s oft quoted line from Macbeth frequently heard this time of year. It sets the literary tone for the selection of books reviewed this week by the International Reading Association Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group. Children love scary stories and the thrill and chill of not knowing what will happen next. Scary stories can be funny or poetic or exciting, but every year new books come out to offer these safe scares for readers everywhere. As children grow into adult readers the Mystery/Thriller genre continues to be one of the most popular, so teachers can initiate the life-long reading journey with some of the new titles and ideas suggested this week.

ReadWriteThink offers podcasts about scary stories in Chat About Books or for older readers try “Thrills! Chills! Using Scary Stories to Motivate Students to Read.”

GRADES K-3

Bauer, Marion Dane. (2012). Halloween forest. Illus. by John Shelley. New York: Holiday House.

It’s Halloween night, and a brave trick-or-treater heads off to gather sweet loot. Along the way, he faces a most frightening collection of bones in the forest. Undaunted and determined, he marches through the book’s pages all the way up to a bone-laden house and demands and receives a mother lode of candy. Some of the pen-and-India ink and watercolor illustrations are particularly spooky, especially the one in which the forest's limbs turn into the fingers and arms of human skeletons and reach out to him, and even the roof thatch of the house he finds in the heart of the forest is formed from bones. Since the boy never seems to be frightened by the threatening forest, things turn out okay. While walking unconcernedly through a dark forest might not be recommended, sometimes facing fears leads to bountiful rewards, making the effort worthwhile.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Bracegirdle, P. J. (2012). The dead family Diaz. Illus. by Poly Bernatene. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.

Angelito is nervously excited about celebrating El Dia de los Muertes as he travels with his family, the Dead Familia Diaz, into the Land of the Living on the night of this eerie holiday. He has told no one that he is actually scared of meeting an actual living person with their pale and squishy skin. On the night of the festival he gets separated from his family. As he fearfully looks around at the loud and colorful festivities he runs into Pablo (who is wearing a skeleton mask.) The two boys shyly admit to their fears and together move on into frolic of the evening’s entertainment and have so much fun! As the evening comes to a close and Angelito finds his family, illustrator Beratene creates a double page spread to show the shock and realization of the two boys as they discover whom they really are. With this realization comes the understanding that being different isn’t necessarily a bad thing or something to be feared. When the story closes each boy is looking forward to next year’s celebration. Enjoy the author’s website or follow the author on Facebook. ReadWriteThink offers a lesson idea entitled “Collaborating on a Class Book: Exploring Before-During-After Sequences.”

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Bullard, Lisa. (2012). Daniela’s Day of the Dead. Illus. by Holli Conger. Minneapolis: Lerner/Millbrook Press.

In four short chapters (“Waiting for Day of the Dead,” “An Altar for Grandpa,” “At the Market,” and “Celebrating!”), the author provides introductory information about Day of the Dead, a holiday with which many youngsters may not be as familiar as they are with Halloween, Christmas, and Hanukkah. Daniela explains how her ancestors brought the traditions of this day intended to celebrate, not mourn, the dead to their home in the United States from their homes in Mexico. She describes filling an altar with his favorite objects in honor of her grandfather, shopping for sugar skulls and funny skeletons, buying and eating bread with tiny toy skeletons tucked inside, and honoring the dead by visiting their graves. Back matter includes a glossary, website and book suggestions to learn more, and directions for making a skeleton from macaroni. The illustrations are filled with bright colors and smiling faces, all enabling young readers to regard the holiday, celebrated on November 2 in the United States, in a positive light. As young readers are reminded in the text, death is simply a part of life and not necessarily something scary.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Catrow, David. (2012). Monster mash. New York: Orchard Books.

Catrow has reimagined the song lyrics to the popular 1962 classic song, “The Monster Mash” written by Bobby “Boris” Pickett and Lenny Capizzi. Using watercolors, gouache, and pen and pencil Catrow has created a cast of monsters that young readers will love. Though the text is scant and simple as the words dance through the song lyrics, the illustrations are so much fun and children will love pouring over each page looking at the details and action including the monsters drawn right into the title on the title page where the fun begins. The story/song opens with a scientist “working in the lab late one night” (page 1) and the monsters begin to appear everywhere. Zombies, Wolf Man, Dracula (and his son!), ghouls, vampires, are dancing and creating mayhem throughout the castle. When the coffin-bangers and their vocal group The Crypt-Kicker Five show up the mash gets even more rollicking. Adults reading this book will immediately begin to hear the song in their heads and will probably develop a rhythm to reading this book aloud. Young readers will enjoy viewing and listening to the original song and animated version of the Monster Mash. Perfect for a classroom Halloween party! Learn more about this author/illustrator at his website and blog.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Hiti, Samuel. (2012). Waga’s big scare. Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books/Lerner Publishing Group.

Waga might be small, but Waga is a terrifyingly mean and nasty little monster that has the biggest scare. When Waga discovers that Waga’s scare is gone, the story takes off in a series of scenes where Waga is desperately trying to find the scare. Waga must find the square before sunrise or Waga will disappear forever. Hiti comes to the picture book genre by way of his comic book career, so Waga has a fierce cartoon-like appearance. Pictures in bold red and black add to the scare factor in this book, but as Waga goes in search of the scare the action takes a bit of a silly turn. Waga searches the monster parade and the creepy forest, dark caves, every nook and cranny in the graveyard, and then squeezes through drain pipes, creeps down the hallway until Waga finds the scare under YOUR bed! This will be fun for reading aloud. Author/illustrator Sam Hiti has an active website, blog, and tumblr posts. If you are looking for a simple white board interactive or a computer lab activity, students will enjoy Scholastic’s Monster Maker site.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Hood, Susan. (2012). Just say boo! Illus. by Jed Henry. New York: Harper.

Three children dressed as a vampire bat, a witch, and a shark go trick or treating with their father on Halloween night. Each double page spread places them in different situations throughout the evening as they walk through woods and wind and encounter jack-o-lanterns and ghosts and even friendly neighbors. Each encounter written in rhymed phrases asks the question what would you say or do? Often the answer is “just say boo!” As the evening continues however, the pattern changes a few times and the rhyming answer is sometimes “Ewww” or “Thank you.” Teachers will find this book an excellent read aloud not only for the rhyming nature of the story but also for the writing pattern it presents for teachers to encourage young readers/listeners to try their hand at writing. Muted sepia illustrations give a soft presentation to the storyline. Visit the author’s website for more information and a very fun book trailer featuring young trick or treaters.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Johnson, J. Angelique. (2012). Making a jack-o’-lantern, step by step. North Mankato, MN: Capstone Press.

Many primary classrooms visit pumpkin farms during the month of October where students pick out a pumpkin and take it home. This is the perfect nonfiction text for students to read that will help them carve a jack-o’-lantern. The full-page photographs show a family visiting a pumpkin patch, picking the right pumpkin, getting ready to carve, preparing the pumpkin and making the jack-o’-lantern. In addition, most pages contain pumpkin or Halloween facts. Families could follow all of these steps and be ready to showcase their glowing jack-o’-lanterns on Halloween eve. This book would also make a fun read aloud. This book is part of a series with other titles on caring for a pet, recycling, and fighting a fire.

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

Lachenmeyer, Nathaniel. (2012). The boo! book. Illus. by Nicoletta Ceccoli. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

This hauntingly beautiful book may attract more adult admirers than children. The idea behind this book is that books can be haunted just like houses can be haunted. Ghosts may have taken up residence within the pages of the book and do some mischievous things within the pages of the story. The entire storyline is cautionary to warn the reader about the clues that will tell them whether the book is haunted or not. Things like if the book feels cold when you place it near your ear or if you hear something that sounds like a ghost holding its breath and if you discover that the book IS haunted, never read it on the anniversary of the day the ghost arrived in the book or you will be sucked into the book yourself! Other mischievous things that might happen are words suddenly mixed up or characters and plotlines shifting around. The somewhat bizarre illustrations are created with plasticine puppets; acrylic paint and digital photographs that give a surreal look to the pictures. Read about other scary books in ReadWriteThink’s Chatting About Books podcast entitled “Get Spooky with Matthew McElligot.”

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Schuette, Sarah L. (2012). A Halloween cookbook: Simple recipes for kids. North Mankato, MN: Capstone Press.

Just like the title says, this book contains easy step-by-step recipes for Halloween. Some of the recipes include jack-o'-lantern juice, eyeball salad, and witch fingernails. Young children will enjoy making these tasty treats at school or at home. Teachers could set up a center where students read the directions and follow the photographs to create a ghoulishly delicious snack. For example after studying spiders, students could make the crunchy spider recipe with chocolate cookies, peanut butter, and pretzel sticks. My five-year-old daughter and I enjoyed making and eating these together. Each recipe contains an ingredient list and tool list to help adults. Implementing cooking teaches literacy, science and math plus it is so much fun!

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

GRADES 4-6

Dahl, Michael. (2012). Hocus pocus hotel. Illus. by Lisa K. Weber. Minneapolis, MN: Capstone.

Charlie Hitch Hitchcock is wary about accepting the invitation from school bully Tyler Yu to meet him at the old hotel after school because he is afraid he wants a fight. As it turns out, however, Ty wants Charlie to help him solve the mysteries that are going on at the hotel. It turns out that Tyler lives at the Hocus Pocus Hotel and that it is a retirement hotel for professional magicians. The elderly magicians have something strange going on in room 1413 in addition to disappearance of hotel belongings like shower curtains, spoons, and bowling pins. Strange sounds and shadows flicker through the hotel. Charlie is blessed with acute visual memory and as the boys move through the hotel looking for clues to the disappearances, Charlie’s photographic memory enables them to put all the clues together. While in search of clues they learn a lot about magic and performing magic tricks. The author has included instructions on how to perform these tricks for readers on journal paper throughout the book. A few simple mysteries are solved but they lead to an overarching mystery surrounding the hotel. This is the first in a new series. For readers with smart phones or iPads or teachers with white boards, the QR code on the back cover of the book will lead to more resources for using the book to learn more about magic. The Hocus Pocus Hotel has its own website with many extra fun resources for readers including a video and magic tricks, or find a ReadWriteThink lesson entitled “Celebrate Halloween.” 

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Fagan, Cary. (2012). The boy in the box. Boston/New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/Clarion.

Although eleven-year-old Sullivan Mintz loves to juggle, his parents pay little attention to Sullivan or his hobby. They are preoccupied with running the Stardust Home for Old People, whose residents enjoy chatting with Sullivan. In fact, one of the residents, eighty-one-year-old Manny, is Sullivan’s best friend. Sullivan is the favorite target for Samuel Patinsky, a classmate who relishes relentlessly ridiculing him. When he and his sister Jinny see notices for a traveling medicine show, Sullivan is astonished that the performers are children just like him. He ends up being kidnapped by Master Melville and his wife and joins the other youthful performers who are prisoners of the Melvilles. His parents are left thinking that he has drowned. As Sullivan deals with the cruelty of his keepers, he also bonds with the other children who nurture him and help him hone his juggling skills. Sullivan's determination to juggle and his affection for the elderly charges under his parents' care are admirable, but it’s frightening to think of the Melvilles traveling through the countryside with a band of kidnapped children with no questions being asked as they pass from town to town. Even worse, Sullivan somehow feels as though he has found a place where he belongs despite being imprisoned except during practice time and performance time. Obviously, he will try to run away eventually and return home, but until then, he seems to have chosen the traveling life of a performer being used to sell Master Melville’s special elixir.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Hennessy, B. G. (2012). The scary places map book: Seven terrifying tours. Illus. by Erwin Madrid.  Somerville, MA: Candlewick.

Seven different maps take readers on journeys to some really scary places, enabling them to hone their map reading skills while encountering some downright frightening moments. Based on mythology, one of the tours takes readers to the “Land of Mythical Monsters.” The other map adventures are based on other spooky tales about pirates, vampires, gunslingers, and witches, among others. The author employs clever word play; for instance, readers travel to the “Western Terror-tories" to see what Gruesome Gus has left behind. Other trips include “The Ghostly Galleon Cruise of the Seven Seas,” a “Trip through Transylvania,” a “Tour of the Wicked Woods and Witchfield Village,” a “Sleepwalking Tour of Nightmare House,” and a “Museum of Haunted Objects.” The digital illustrations add an air of spookiness to the already-scary-sounding map titles. Readers will need to read the directions for each map and follow the grids in order to navigate the area, and they’re sure to enjoy going back through the maps again and again in order to skirt disaster. Back matter includes additional challenges as readers are encouraged to return to each map and look for even more details, including ruby slippers and a bloodmobile. While it is helpful if readers are familiar with the stories on which these maps are based, the chills and thrills they experience through this book might prompt them to search for more about their spooky subjects.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Oceanak, Karla. (2012). Egghead. Illus. by Spanjer, Kendra. Fort Collins, CO: Bailiwick Press.

Like many kids, Aldo Zelnick loves science, but he sees no reason to learn Spanish. He forgets that all the A’s on his report card don’t make up for that one D in Spanish. His best friend Jack becomes upset when Aldo denigrates the Spanish language and thinks that speaking English is fine enough for him. Aldo has plenty of things on his mind, especially with Halloween around the corner. Luckily for him, his father takes him to a costume store where he finds a costume of Albert Einstein, his hero. Jack and Aldo are in a race to collect the most candies, but the race loses importance because of the rainy night and the disappearance of Jack’s grandfather. The elderly man, who used to be a scientist, now has Alzheimer’s. In rescuing him, Aldo uses all the Spanish he knows and keeps him safe. Jack is grateful enough to share his rain-soaked candies with Aldo. Filled with many humorous moments, the book is engaging to read and introduces surprising amounts of science information and experiments casually. It is a good example of a writing mentor text with a perfect narrative voice and pictures that tell their own story. A word gallery in English and Spanish at the end of the book lends authenticity to the reading experience. The title might be useful in classroom discussions on diversity and celebrating the cultures represented in the classroom.

- Rani Iyer, Washington State University Pullman

Snicket, Lemony. (2012). “Who could that be at this hour?” Illus. by Seth. Boston: Little, Brown and Company Books for Young Readers.

And so begins the new young Lemony Snicket series, “All the Wrong Questions,” the first of four volumes. Young Snicket, nearly 13, is apprenticed to the rather lame-brained S. Theodora Markson who is affiliated with a strange and rather mysterious unnamed organization (though readers of A Series of Unfortunate Events will guess … VFB). What else would readers expect from Snicket (aka author Daniel Handler)? Snicket and Markson have been hired by Mrs. Murphy Sallis to find a valuable missing object, a statue called the Bombinating Beast. Their search takes them to the seaside town, drained of seawater, of Stain’d-by-the-Sea. Though Snicket is on the case, his mind is also on a situation at home. Friends, Moxie and Ellington are trying to help … possibly. In his signature zany writing style, full of literary references, vocabulary and innuendoes, the author has returned readers to the adolescent life of Lemony Snicket in this prequel for the first of this adventure quartet. Teachers will find more back matter at the USA Today interview with the author. Teachers and readers will find many fun “extras” at the publisher website.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Swindells, Robert. (2012). Trick or treat. Minneapolis: Lerner/Stoke Books.

Like many teens, Harley Davidson has no intention to haul his younger siblings from door to door in search of candy on Halloween. After all, there’s a school dance that night, for which he plans to don his authentic Dracula costume in order to impress Uma Broom, a girl on whom he has a crush. But when his mother refuses to compromise, he finds himself walking along the sidewalk with his brother and sister. Along the way, some sort of evil spirit in the form of a white piece of cloth distracts him from watching the children. He follows the whiteness until it seems to become a dress worn by Uma, who seems to beckon him across the street to a nearby pond where she skims along the water. By the time he returns to his young charges, they have seemingly disappeared. When he finds them, they are no longer interested in treats but are bullying a neighbor who refused to give them candy earlier. Who are these children? Although the ending comes too abruptly, readers will relish the creepiness and open-endedness of this very short story, and reflect upon how hard it is to explain some of the things that happen in the world. Read in the right way with the right types of voices and emphasis, this title could be a fine Halloween read aloud that just might scare the dickens out of its hearers.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

GRADES 5-8

Gallagher, Diana. (2012). Haunted love. Mankato, MN: Stone Arch Books/Capstone Imprint.

From the Claudia & Monica: Freshman Girls series, this quick novel will provide an interesting seasonal read for reluctant middle grade readers who like a bit of romance and high school friend drama. Claudia and Monica take turns narrating the chapters as they comment on life in high school from friends, to friends who become boyfriends, to high school parties and shopping. This episode in the series centers around Halloween parties, the two girls feuding over boys, new high school friendships, and the draw of the popular “in” crowd and deciding whom your real friends are. Use this time of year to study a classic that ReadWriteThink has explored, “A Directed Listening-Thinking Activity for ‘The Tell-Tale Heart.”

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Valente, Catherynne. (2012). The girl who fell beneath Fairyland and led the revels there. Illus. by Ana Juan. New York: Feiwel and Friends/Macmillan Publishing Group.

Hugo award-winning author Cat Valente returns to Fairyland from her popular first book, The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making (2011). A year after the first adventure, September is now 13 and leaves her home in Nebraska to journey back to Fairyland. When she arrives, she quickly discovers things are not as she left them. Shadows have been stolen and everyone is living in fear, especially of the gruesome Alleyman who is the stealer of shadows. September learns that the shadows and the magic that goes with them are being sent to Fairyland Below and it is her very own shadow, Halloween, who is orchestrating the descent and despair among Fairyland Above. September is determined to set things right and plunges down into the darkness and depths of Halloween’s reign of terror. Though a few old friends appear in the story like Saturday and Wyverary, many new characters appear to join September on this dangerous quest to recover the missing shadows. Her goal is to awaken the Sleeping Prince and join forces against Halloween’s evil. Readers will find this sequel a darker and more grief filled volume than the first story of September and Fairyland. Teachers and readers will find a book trailer available at the publisher’s website or learn more about this versatile author at her website.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

GRADES 7-12

Castellucci, Cecil. (2012). The year of the beasts. Illus. by Nate Powell. New York: Macmillan/Roaring Brook Press.

Partly because of the closeness in their ages, siblings Tessa, 15, and Lulu, 13, have always been close. But their closeness becomes a thing of the past after the girls go to a carnival without their parents. The merriment turns to sourness once things take an unexpected turn. When a romance blossoms between Lulu and Charlie, the boy on whom Tessa has designs, Tessa feels betrayed and left out. Although Tessa has her own admirer and a secret romance with Jasper, a neighbor considered a misfit by his peers, she cannot control the anger and jealousy that seethe through her every time she sees her sister or hears about Charlie. Having Jasper is not enough, and she is embarrassed to admit her attraction to Jasper. Even when Lulu apologizes for dating Charlie, Tessa is unable to forgive her sister, and her anger leads to tragedy. Alternating with this story is a graphic novel that shows Tessa as Medusa, snake heads writhing above her head, turning those around her to stone. Readers will enjoy trying to decide whether the book contains two separate stories or one story with different elements and perspectives. A cautionary tale, the story serves as a vivid reminder of how self-destructive jealousy and hatred can be. Tessa is so intent on having what her sister has that she loses sight of her own boyfriend and her love for her sister. There’s nothing more frightening than that, as this creative endeavor demonstrates.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Ellen, Laura. (2012). Blind spot. New York: Harcourt Children’s Books.

Sixteen-year-old protagonist Roz learns that she has macular degeneration, making it hard for her to see the world around her. Not only that, but she has difficulty in deciding who is trustworthy, making her have a blind spot when it comes to the wrong individuals. The book starts out promisingly—and chillingly—with the discovery of the body of her troubled classmate, Tricia Farni, revealed as the ice and snow begin to melt. What caused her to die? That's the central question in the novel, one that is never really answered although several possibilities are shared. The fact that Roz is unable to see clearly and then seemingly has lost her memory of a crucial night in her life creates a mystery for readers and throws suspicion for Tricia's death on various individuals, including Roz. The plot is filled with familiar elements that add to the story’s realism, including high school jealousy, unreliable boyfriends, unfair teachers bent on teaching lessons to those who rebel against them, and a main character unable to decide what she wants. Adding to the creepiness, the book's secondary characters are completely unreliable, and friendships and alliances are formed and dissolved rapidly. Even Roz's boyfriend is hard to pin down. In some respects, he seems like a good guy, especially near the book's beginning, but is he? Teen readers will enjoy trying to sort out all the clues in solving this murder mystery and gain a clear perspective on the emotional drama of high school relationships when merely getting through the day is a high-stakes matter.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman 

Hubbard, Mandy. (2012). Dangerous boy. New York: Penguin/Razorbill.

Improbably, quiet Harper Bennett has caught the attention of Logan Townsend, the handsome new boy in town. At first she’s filled with bliss because of the budding romance, but the secrets she learns about Logan and his twin brother leave her disoriented. Because the book opens with a scene showing Harper running for her life and then shifts back to Harper's happy times with Logan, readers are unable to gauge at first how the relationship began. In many ways, Logan seems to be a great guy, thoughtful and considerate. But there are hints about what's going on when he becomes troubled during thunder storms or when Harper encounters his twin brother, Daemon, in a creepy basement scene set in the crumbling mansion owned by the boys' uncle who is always on business trips. Restricted by fears that keep her from living life to its fullest as the result of her mother's death, Harper is a bundle of nerves in some respects and has a list of activities she avoids. Teen readers will enjoy watching Harper take chances while trying to figure out the truth about the boy to whom she has lost her heart. For Harper, though, falling in love may result in losing her life.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Shan, Darren. (2012). Zom-B. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Londoner B lives with her abusive, racist father and her ever-patient mother. Mingled rage and shame seethe inside B, leaving her torn between doing what's right and pleasing her father. He blames the country's problems on its many immigrants while she has friends on whom he might not look too kindly. As the novel opens, the two laugh at news reports of zombies in a small Irish village, but the amusement turns to stark-raving terror on B’s part once zombies enter her high school, biting the students and teachers and eating their brains. At first, B and some of her friends manage to avoid the bloodshed, leaving other friends behind, only to find that the schools’ exits have been blocked. Somehow, B's father arrives to rescue her, but she feels ashamed at having betrayed her companions, even throwing one dark-skinned boy into the zombies' clutches. Although she hates her father for his attitude toward anyone different from him, B also recognizes that she is more like him than she wants to be. The book is fast-paced, drenched with blood and gore and gleeful descriptions of brain consumption. Readers will race through the book with relish, only to find that the story will continue in a future volume. There are plenty of unanswered questions about the individuals in hoods in the cafeteria, the strange friend of B’s father, her own nightmares, and what caused this zombie invasion. Those with weak stomachs might want to avoid the descriptive passages of zombies munching on humans.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

These reviews are submitted by members of the International Reading Association's Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) and are published weekly on Reading Today Online. 

The International Reading Association partners with the National Council of Teachers of English and Verizon Thinkfinity to produce ReadWriteThink.org, a website devoted to providing literacy instruction and interactive resources for grades K–12.

What is your favorite book? Is it a book from your childhood? Is it a book that a teacher read aloud to you? Is it a book that you have successfully used in your teaching? Or is it a book that you have recently read? Why is it your favorite and how do you share your favorite books with your students, friends and colleagues? This week members of the International Reading Association Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) continue to share some of our favorite 2012 titles.

GRADES K-3

Brennan-Nelson, Denise. (2012). Maestro Stu saves the zoo. Illus. by Tim Bowers. Ann Arbor, MI: Sleeping Bear Press.

A primer on the use of commonly employed idioms as well as an amusing story about the triumph of the weak and seemingly helpless over the powerful, this picture book would be especially useful for anyone learning to speak English fluently. The idioms are sprinkled generously throughout the story and are then listed with an explanation of their meanings in the book’s back matter. The story itself revolves around Stu whose proximity to the zoo allows him to savor the sounds of the captive animals from his home each evening. When an untrustworthy businessman, Mr. Cooper, devises plans to turn the zoo into a mall, Stu concocts his own plan to amplify the animals' musical notes and conduct "a symphony of sounds" (unpaged) so that the area’s residents will pay attention. His plan works, and the animals receive a great deal of publicity and attendance at the zoo skyrockets. Mr. Cooper is forced to abandon his plans, and he gets his just desserts with a job cleaning up after all the animals. Young readers will love the message, Stu's quick and creative thinking, and the animals themselves with their "squeaks and bellows, gurgles and chirps" (unpaged), all proof that there’s more than one way to skin a cat, to use another idiom not included in the book. Interested readers can find even more English language idioms at Dave’s ESL Café. Read more about Denise Brennan-Nelson in the "5 Questions With..." interview on the Engage blog.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Burleigh, Robert. (2012). Hit the road Jack. Illus. by Ross MacDonald. New York: Abrams.

Readers follow Jack, a jackrabbit portrayed as a human, across America. The Jack of this book loosely represents the spirit of author, Jack Kerouac, who loved to travel and write. As the character Jack roams across the U.S. he glories in each region he discovers. He loves the small towns and the cities and the people he finds there. MacDonald’s watercolors and penciled crayons reflect the soft glow of nature and life on the road for Jack. Set in a 1950’s style America and written in a Beat poetry style, this book pays homage to Kerouac while encouraging a love of country, writing and wanderlust through Jack. Visit the author’s website and learn how you can Skype with this author. Teachers might like to connect the ReadWriteThink idea: “Have Journal … Will Travel: Promoting Family Involvement in Literacy.”

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Coffelt, Nancy (2012). Aunt Ant leaves through the leaves. New York: Holiday House.

Unable to use a tractor to move all the bananas he plans to use to bake banana pies, a monkey asks for help, but he is turned down by an ant, a bee, a bear, and a gnu, among other animals. Each one is too preoccupied to help and sends him on to another potential helper. After shouting himself hoarse, he meets a horse who is “hey, too tired” (unpaged) and wants some hay. Finally, just when the monkey is ready to work by himself, Aunt Ant comes to the rescue. Back home, the animals make creamy banana pies which they consume. The animals even return to help remove the peels and clean up. The author cleverly takes every opportunity in the story to place homophones and homonyms in the context of the story. The end note provides explanations of the homophones and homonyms found in the text.  The book is a good addition for language arts classes and school classroom libraries. Students can be encouraged to create a play to enact the story. Most importantly, it provides an entertaining way for English language learners of all ages to learn about the idiosyncrasies of the English language.

- Rani Iyer, Washington State University Pullman

Fleming, Candace. (2012). Oh, No! Illus. by Eric Rohmann. New York: Random House/Schwartz & Wade Books.

Parents and teachers who would like to take their youngsters on a field trip to the jungles of Asia without ever leaving their homes or classrooms may find this book to be an excellent companion. The story begins simply enough. A frog falls into a deep hole. His cry for help is heard by a mouse that is too small to help. Still, she reaches down, and she too falls into the hole. One by one, other animals, including a slow Loris, a monkey, and a sun bear, join the mouse and the frog. Along comes the hungry tiger, licking his teeth at the tasty feast that awaits him. Just then, the ground rumbles and quakes as an elephant comes to aid his friends. The tiger falls from his perch into the hole. Now, the tiger is in the hole and desperately pleads for help. The illustrations provide emotive expressions for the creatures, capturing the rainforest habitat with bold and masterful strokes. The accompanying text is brief but filled with word play; for instance, when the mouse falls in the hole, she calls out, “Pippa-eeek!” (unpaged), while Tiger later licks his teeth with a “slop-slurp” (unpaged). The sounds add great context for reader participation. The free verse style invites readers to pay attention to the experience evoked by words. This book is highly recommended for lap-reading with kids or classroom reading when children are allowed to move as they repeat the sounds. The “Oh, no!” refrain adds to the story’s charm.

- Rani Iyer, Washington State University Pullman

Pittau, Francisco, & Gervais, Bernadette. (2012). Birds of a feather. San Francisco: Chronicle Books.

This over-sized book is filled with black-and-white aviary illustrations and color-drenched lift-the-flap devices and black jigsaw puzzle pieces that reveal information about various birds, such as the grey crowned crane and the ostrich. The format and the subject matter are likely to keep young readers occupied for long periods of time as they flip through the pages featuring different bird feathers which can be lifted to reveal the type of bird associated with each feather and an interesting bird fact. Even adults will fall in love with the two pages filled with actual bird eggs that can be lifted for information about the bird to which the egg belongs.  Readers will enjoy trying to guess the birds from their silhouettes and eggs. This is a must-have for an elementary science classroom if teachers are willing to let the book leave their own clutches.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Smith, Lane. (2012). Abe Lincoln’s dream. New York: Roaring Brook Press.

Smith sets the tone for this book in the opening wordless panels with a frightened dog (Roosevelt’s Scottish terrier, Fala) roaming the White House. The reader learns that other Presidential dogs were afraid in the White House as well, especially terrified of one particular bedroom. The story line then changes to a school tour of the White House on President’s Day. However, one young girl, Quincy, has slipped away from the school group when she spies a very tall pale man in a stovepipe hat walking through a wall. At that moment, Quincy meets the ghost of Abraham Lincoln. Through simple humor and complex questions Quincy and Abe become friends and she brings Mr. Lincoln up to date on what has been happening since 1865. President Lincoln was so worried about the state of the nation at the moment of his untimely death. Hand in hand, Quincy and President Lincoln fly over many national monuments until Abe is feeling better about the current state of affairs in the country. A beautifully told story with subtle illustrations and varying sizes of typography create an atmosphere of quiet reflection that Lincoln has fulfilled his dream of unity. Teachers might like to introduce the book with this very well done book trailer or visit the author’s website.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Yolen, Jane. (2012). Waking dragons. Illus. by Derek Anderson. New York: Simon and Schuster.

Jane Yolen’s poem about young dragons is the perfect vehicle for the bright acrylic illustrations of Derek Anderson. Used as a read aloud or a cozy lap book, this simple look at getting up in the morning dragon-style is a fun way to look at morning routines. Anderson’s illustrations define extending the text in a picture book as most of the real action takes place in the illustrations. The young knight throughout the story provides a whole other story within the story. A delightful romp! Teachers will enjoy the activity sheet provided by the publisher or try ReadWriteThink’s “Add Seasons to Rhyming Poems and Songs.”

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

GRADES 4-6

Kimmel, Eric. (2012). Hiss-s-s-s! New York: Holiday House.

Omar is a fourth-grade Muslim American boy who desperately wants a snake, much to the dismay of his mother who is terrified of snakes. When he finally convinces his parents that he will be absolutely responsible for the entire care of the snake, they relent. Omar researches snakes in depth and when a visit to the Snake Dude convinces him that a corn snake is the right choice, Omar and his father take the snake home. Predictably, the snake escapes in the house and Omar does everything imaginable to keep this fact from his mother. Reluctant or emerging reader snake-lovers will enjoy this book and much detailed information of snakes is intertwined within the text. Teachers will get ideas about snakes and other nontraditional pets at ReadWriteThink’s podcast entitled, “Unusual Pets.” Read from the author’s blog about writing this book. For the real snake lovers, drop by All About Corn Snakes.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Lewis, J. Patrick and Jane Yolen. (2012). Last laughs: Animal epitaphs. Illus. by Jeffrey Stewart Timmins. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge.

“Here at Amen/ Creature Corners,/ beasties weep/ like misty mourners/ but when they read/ an epitaph,/ it always brings them/ one last laugh./ Forget the hankies./ Read the words/ of bugs and fishes,/ beasts and birds./ They know it’s not/ all gloom and doom/ that’s written/ once upon a tomb./ (page 5) This epitaph opens the book and sets the mood with this title poem, “Last Laughs.” The poems are loosely grouped by animal type. Though Timmin’s delightful illustrations are dark and shadowy, readers will find humor in each epitaph. This will be a great poetry book to share at this time of year and serve as a writing model for student written epitaphs. Visit our Children’s Poet Laureate website and unpack his poetry toolbox. The IRA Engage blog has "5 Questions With... J. Patrick Lewis and Jane Yolen," and try ReadWriteThink’s “Poetry: A Feast to Form Fluent Readers.”

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Rose, Caroline Starr. (2012). May B: A novel. New York: Schwartz and Wade.

Debut author, Caroline Starr Rose, has created a riveting novel in verse about survival. Set in 19th century Kansas, May B and her family are struggling after a very tough and not so successful growing season. To help with family finances, May B’s parents hire her out as live-in help to the young newly wed neighbor couple that live fifteen miles away. As May B arrives at the little sod house she finds the new young bride so in the depths of unhappiness that she finally runs back to Ohio. Her husband sets out after her, leaving May B alone. As the days and weeks plod slowly by, May recognizes the fact she has been forgotten … abandoned and her family does not know that she is alone. Winter is fast approaching, and May has few supplies. A blizzard threatens as well as wolves and little food and the walls begin to psychologically close in on May so she has to figure out a way to stay safe as well as sane. A subplot to this survival verse tale is the fact that May is dyslexic. She has always had trouble in school, and she knows that missing all these months in the sod house will put her even further behind. How she tackles the loneliness and her reading difficulties combine to create a powerful story of survival. Teachers can download a study guide or use the book trailer from the author’s website. 

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Winget, Dianna Dorisi. (2012). A smidgen of sky. New York: Harcourt Children’s Books.

Ten-year-old Piper Lee DeLuna hasn’t forgotten her beloved father who disappeared during a plane crash four years ago, but apparently her mother has. When she decides to marry Ben, the man she has been dating, Piper plots to derail the wedding. Although she likes Ben, she just wants everything to stay the way it has been. But Piper’s plans to bring Ben's former wife back into the picture cause unexpected problems for everyone, especially for Ginger, Ben’s daughter. Suddenly, Piper finds that now that she has tried to fix things the way she wants them to be, she’s no longer in control of the results of her machinations. Readers will enjoy getting to know this willful, determined girl and empathize with her reluctance to let go of the possibility that her father is still alive while also knowing that she must move on with her life. As Piper realizes that she needs to be careful what she wishes for, she also learns to be content with what she has. The author has created an appealing cast of supporting characters to whom many readers can relate.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

GRADES 7-12

Abirached, Zeina. (2012). A game for swallows. Minneapolis: Lerner/Graphic Universe.

In the same way that Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis (Pantheon, 2004) touched many hearts and informed many minds about Iran during the Islamic Revolution, this stunning graphic novel describes the lives of ordinary men, women, and children in war-torn Beirut, Lebanon, in 1984. Drawing from events in her own childhood, the author/illustrator describes one evening that typifies how her parents and neighbors came together during almost-impossible-to-imagine times when even a visit to someone two streets away could result in death from a sniper. When her parents are unable to return after visiting her grandmother, Zeina and her brother wait in the foyer of their apartment building, one of the only safe spots left. One by one, their neighbors come by to chat, offer comfort, and share food with the children. Even during this short period of time, the neighbors reveal heroic sides and concern for the children. The author chooses to use black and white panels to tell the story, perhaps to emulate the bleakness of those times and to allow the neighbors’ affectionate comments and actions to shine through the pages. Readers are unlikely to forget devoted Anhala, a family servant for three generations, left behind by those she served faithfully; enterprising Chucri who risks his life to find Zeina's parents; and Ernest Challita who quotes entire passages of Cyrano de Bergerac from memory, to the delight of the children, but who is unable to leave the apartment building after the death of his twin brother. The book helps readers imagine risking their lives to find ingredients for a recipe or to visit a relative. It also forces them to imagine a time when war and conflict have become the norm, and then to imagine the alternative--hiding safely away in an apartment, safe but barely living.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Cushman, Karen. (2012). Will Sparrow’s road. New York/Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/Clarion Books.

In Elizabethan England, twelve-year-old Will Sparrow, who calls himself a liar and a thief out of necessity, runs away from the abusive innkeeper to whom his father sold him to pay off his drinking debts. After enduring betrayal after betrayal from those he encounters on the road, Will ends up traveling with a band of "oddities and prodigies" (p. 209) who are a part of the open-air fairs that spring up near large cities and towns. Not only can attendees purchase food, but they can also amuse themselves by staring at three-legged chickens and a baby mermaid in a jar. Although at first frightened by the unusual looks of Grace, a girl whose furry face makes her resemble a cat, and the short-statured Fitz, Will eventually realizes that Master Tidball, who owns the troupe, is the one who deserves his contempt since he mistreats the members of his traveling band and has made up many of the oddities on display. The title captures the flavor of those times perfectly, describing Will's desperate search for food to fill his belly, and the affection he finds while taking care of Duchess, a pig who is smarter than most of those around her. Will's understandable mistrust of others gradually disappears once he finds trustworthy individuals and a created family. While characters enter the story and disappear quickly, such was the way centuries ago, and someone who seemed likely to be a friend might end up stealing that last morsel of food out of necessity.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Demi. (2012). Columbus. New York: Amazon Children’s Publisher.

In Demi’s characteristic style using Chinese paintbrushes, ink, and gold overlays she has told the story of Christopher Columbus. In the introduction she discusses reading hundreds of books about Columbus and early navigation to write this authentic account of Columbus’s search for the riches of the East. Thinking he would become rich by sailing from Europe and traveling east, he would navigate his way to China and India. The rest, of course, is history. As Columbus anchors his ships he is opening the threshold to the so-called New World. Using marbled paper imported from Florence, Italy, Demi has written and illustrated a beautiful version of this early explorer. Learn more about this author/illustrator online. ReadWriteThink offers a lesson idea entitled “Columbus Day is Recognized Today.” 

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Haddix, Margaret Peterson. (2012). Caught. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Caught is Book 5 in the author’s The Missing series. The story opens when time unexplainably and suddenly freezes. Katherine and Jonah are thrown back in time to the year 1903. As events spin by they are confronted with the first wife of Albert Einstein, Mileva. She has grabbed the Elucidator and will not give it back until she knows more about their time traveling and how it is done. Mileva’s young daughter, Lieserl, has scarlet fever and she thinks medicines of the future can save her. The disappearance of this daughter from the annals of history has always been a mystery and now Katherine and Jonah know that they cannot change history, especially in light of Albert Einstein’s world-renowned scientific contributions. Haddix has included at the end of the book her Author’s Notes to talk about discerning the fact from fiction in a book that plays with historical fact, especially where time travel is involved. An excerpt and book trailer are available at the publisher’s website. Learn more about the author and her other popular books at her website. “Looking for the History in Historical Fiction: An Epidemic for Reading” is a lesson plan idea from ReadWriteThink.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Hale, Shannon. (2012). Princess academy: Palace of stone. New York: Bloomsbury.

Miri and the cast of characters from the original Princess Academy are back and are traveling to Asland, the capital city of Danland. Miri has decided to attend the university with the intention of becoming a teacher and returning to her beloved Mt. Eskel to teach the children and villagers not only to read, but also to learn the history of their mountain and the entire country. While Miri fits into city and university life, she makes new friends, including a young man, Timon, who introduces her to a politically new way of thinking about life in their country. Her eyes are opened to the many injustices done to the common people. While this is going on she is also making herself available to Britta as she prepares to become the wife and princess to young Prince Steffan. Peder has also come to the city to apprentice to a stone carver. Miri’s special feelings for Peder get confused after meeting Timon and she starts to seriously question where her place in the future will be. The story takes a dramatic turn when revolution breaks out and Miri is forced to make many life-altering decisions quickly. Learn more about the author in "5 Questions With... Shannon Hale" on the Engage blog, and watch the book trailer and learn more about the author and her other books at her website.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Every teacher has a favorite book they read aloud each school year or book talk to students. Sometimes we even have a special shelf with our top ten favorite books. In addition, many teachers keep an electronic reading record of what they read at goodreads.com. This social networking site for book lovers helps teachers organize their top picks and put them on a “favorite shelf.” This week members of the International Reading Association Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) chose some of our favorite books that have been published in 2012.

GRADES K-3

Alko, Selina. (2012). B is for Brooklyn. New York: Christy Ottaviano/Henry Holt.

This fun ABC book begins with a map of Brooklyn, a borough of New York City, and an author’s note discussing the layout of the book. Author, Selina Alko, lives in Brooklyn where she writes and illustrates books. Each letter highlights famous landmarks, streets, icons and institutions in Brooklyn. For example, C is for Coney Island, Court Street, Carroll Gardens and Clock Tower. Small child-like illustrations accompany each of these C words along with a gouache and collage illustration of the Coney Island Cyclone roller coaster. Different food stands sell clams, cones, chicken, cotton candy and cheese with a little girl licking strawberry ice cream. Brooklyn is home to many immigrants, therefore I is for Immigrants, Ice cream trucks, Ice-skating and Intellectuals. Each June Brooklyn celebrates the beginning of summer with the Mermaid Parade highlighted for the letter M. This wacky and wonderful parade includes sea creatures, marching bands, drill teams, antique cars and more. After reading this book, children could create their own ABC book about the city or state in which they reside.

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

Aylesworth, Jim.  (2012). Cock-a-doodle-doo, creak, pop-pop, moo. Illus. by Brad Sneed. New York: Holiday House.

Rhyming lines and onomatopoeia make this nostalgic picture book describing the sights and sounds of life on a family farm rather noisy. Not only do the hard-working family members awaken to the almost-impossible-to-resist smells and sounds of bacon sizzling in the frying pan, but their days are filled with an animal cacophony while they also notice how "breezes swish” (unpaged) later in the day, and how the welcome “clang, clang, clang” (unpaged) of the dinner bell signals that “It's time to eat" (unpaged). Amid all the daily chores and animal noises, there is much fun and support among the family members, and there’s nary a cellphone or a disgruntled countenance among them. Anyone who thinks country living is quiet needs to take a look at this book. Together, the engaging text filled with all those sounds and the watercolor illustrations depicting lots of movement from the farm folks as they complete their tasks evoke feelings of warmth, comfort, and togetherness that make this one fun to read aloud.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Brett, Jan. (2012). Mossy. New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons.

Mossy, an Eastern box turtle, lives by the damp, cool Lilypad Pond. Because she spends so much time there, curlicues of moss begin to grow in her carapace, eventually forming a moss mat which provides the perfect place for ferns and wildflowers to grow. Soon Mossy has an amazing garden she carries on her back. Mossy loves her garden. Each day brings her a lovely surprise—a new flower or a strawberry! Just as Mossy encounters Scoot, a male turtle in the pond, she is picked up by Dr. Carolina, the owner of a local museum. Although Mossy quickly becomes the museum’s star attraction, she seems unhappy and possibly lonely. Two artists, Flora and Fauna, paint a giant picture of Mossy with all her plants, and then Dr. Carolina releases Mossy exactly where she had been found, to Scoot’s delight. The book’s simple text and detailed illustrations with information-filled margins will undoubtedly be a big hit with young readers. Children can spend many hours reading the book and poring over the drawings. A fantastic addition for classrooms, the title will be particularly useful to complement lesson plans and units about habitats and plant-animal interactions. Read more about the author in Kathy Prater's Engage post "Putting Books to Work: Jan Brett's Home for Christmas."

- Rani Iyer, Washington State University Pullman

Katz, Jon. (2012). Lenore finds a friend: A true story from Bedlam farm. New York: Henry Holt.

Finding friends to play or eat lunch with isn’t always easy. Just like humans dogs sometimes have this problem too. In bright photographs readers will meet Lenore, a black Labrador retriever, who perseveres and finally makes a friend. As a puppy Lenore tried to make friends with a rooster and donkey, but they crowed or kicked her. Even another dog, Rose, was too busy herding sheep to be friends with Lenore. One day, Lenore met a grumpy ram named Brutus and gave him a big kiss on his nose. Brutus had never been kissed before and didn’t know what to do. The next day Lenore returned and kissed Brutus on the nose again. Rose tried to interfere by barking and growling at this odd animal pairing, but Lenore wouldn’t give up. The next morning she returned to the pasture and found Brutus. They touched noses, ate grass and hung out together. Lenore finally found a friend. Teachers could make a T-chart and invite students to list all of the different things Lenore did to try to make friends. On the other side of the chart students could share what they do to make friends.

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

McNamara, Margaret. (2012). George Washington’s birthday: A mostly true tale. Illus. by Barry Blitt. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books.

The author has created a humorous look at George Washington’s seventh birthday. When George wakes up on the morning of his birthday he starts dropping hints about his special day but no one seems to pick up on his rather obvious hints. His older brother and teacher insist he begin his studies for the day and his father has him helping with chores around the farm. George continues to drop not-so-subtle hints about what a special day it is and remarks about the cold weather. Throughout the book the author and illustrator have cleverly inserted bordered boxes with Fact or Myth about George Washington. Some of the facts prove to be true later in this future president’s life but many of the myths, particularly the “I cannot tell a lie. It was I who chopped down the tree.” (page 15) are simply fabricated. This will be a humorous read aloud for President’s Day in February though the actual amount of information about the first president is scant. Listen to the author during this NPR interview. Listen to the ReadWriteThink podcast, Chatting About Books, entitled “Celebrate Life” which discusses birthdays.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Schwartz, Amy. (2012). Lucy can’t sleep. New York: Neal Porter/Roaring Brook Press.

Lucy can’t sleep. She tries counting baby otters, mountain goats, kangaroos and even sailing boats, but none of this counting works. She then realizes Dolly and Bear are missing and begins looking for them throughout her house. The detailed and colorful illustrations show Lucy looking way up high and way down low for her friends. After she finds them it is time for an evening snack of strawberry shortcake and chocolate pudding. Even though the house is quiet and her belly is full, Lucy still isn’t sleepy. Next, she moves outside to swing, stare at the sky and listen to the radio. Not ready to shut her eyes, Lucy begins to play dress up—putting on fancy shoes, gloves and lipstick. After spinning and dancing around Lucy finally yawns. All children will laugh when the final page is read and shared. After reading aloud this book children could discuss what they do when sleep doesn’t come quickly.

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

GRADES 4-8

Bauer, Joan. (2012). Almost home. New York, Viking.

Teachers who are looking for multiple genres within one book that includes fiction, poetry, letters and thank you notes, will find that this book is the answer. Sixth grade Sugar Mae Cole lives in Missouri with her mother and grandfather, and part-time father. Mr. Leeland, the name Sugar calls her father, is a gambler and a loser. When things get bad, he disappears. King Cole, Sugar’s grandfather, is able to help them out for a time but shortly after the story opens, he passes away. Now Sugar and her mother are going to lose the family home. It means they are now homeless. Living on the street, going to a shelter and eventually to foster care when her mother falls apart and is hospitalized, Sugar maintains a hopeful attitude that things will get better. There are still ups and downs to her situation but through the emails and poetry of her wonderful sixth grade teacher, Mr. Bennett, and the supporting foster family she is placed with, Sugar carves out a new life for herself while her mother is getting the help she needs. Joan writes more about this book at her blog Toward Home or visit her website to learn more about her award-winning books.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Cox, Judy. (2012). The secret chicken society. Illus. by Amanda Haley. New York: Holiday House.

Mrs. Lopez is Daniel’s third grade teacher. One day she announces that the next science project for the class will be watching and hatching chicken eggs as they develop in the class incubator. Daniel is especially excited to learn that there will be a drawing to see who gets to keep the chickens at the end of the year. Being an animal lover and owner of several pets already he convinces his environmentally friendly father right away but his mother is a little more reluctant to give her okay to one more pet.  Daniel barely manages to get his name drawn while other kids learn that their parents will not agree to a take-home baby chick so Daniel ends up with five baby chickens. His brother and sisters help him set up their backyard to raise the chickens but his elderly neighbor, Mr. Grafalo is even grumpier than usual when he sees the chickens. Mrs. Grafalo however is delighted because the chicks remind her of her youthful days growing up on a farm. As the chickens grow, the family is in for a surprise when one turns out to be a rooster, which is illegal in the city. Now how is Daniel going to keep a crowing rooster a secret? The author has included Daniel’s journal at the end of the book that contains all the facts he learned about raising chickens. Learn more about the author at her website or the FaceBook page for this book. For further study, check out the website GREEN AMERICAN and read the article,"The Many Benefits of Backyard Chickens." ReadWriteThink offers other books about chickens and ideas and activities for using these books. Also read Kathy Prater's Engage post "Putting Books to Work: Judy Cox's One is a Feast for a Mouse: A Thanksgiving Tale."

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

King, Martin Luther King, Jr. (2012). I have a dream. Paintings by Kadir Nelson. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books.

On August 28, 1968, on the day of the March on Washington D.C., Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. The publishers have included a CD of the actual speech in this beautifully illustrated version of the famous speech. Nelson’s oil paintings taken page by page make Dr. King’s ideas come alive for young readers today. Each page and double page spread represent the concepts that Dr. King was so emphatically purporting at the time, representing peace and justice and freedom in a world where blacks and whites would live together in harmony. Listen and watch Kadir Nelson discuss this new book from his speech at Book Expo America or watch Martin Luther King give his speech at You Tube. Teachers might like to try the interactive “Word Mover for ‘I Have a Dream’” from ReadWriteThink. 

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Laverdunt, Damien. (2012). Small and tall tales of extinct animals. Illus. by Helene Rajcak. Minneapolis, MN: Lerner Publishing Group/Gecko Press. 

Through a series of cartoons, legends, myths, and tall tales, readers are taken on an around-the-world tour of animals that are gone but not forgotten. By using intriguing elements from both science and mythology, essentially incorporating facts and legends, the title makes readers think about the possibilities of a world in which huge beavers could gnaw down trees or dodos could waddle through fields while elephant-birds filled the skies. Young readers will surely be intrigued by the stories about the giant lemur and the woolly mammoth, and several other hard-to-say animals who once called this planet home. Particularly appealing are the questions posed about the future of some of the animals related to those that are now gone. This would be a great addition to any classroom science library and may inspire more thoughtful conservation efforts from today’s students.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Murphy, Jim. (2012). The giant and how he humbugged America. New York: Scholastic Press.

The Cardiff Giant, a 10-foot tall stone man, was discovered on a farm in upstate New York on October 16, 1869, owned by William Newell. It started when Henry Nichols and Gideon Emmons went to Newell’s farm to dig a well. Several hours of digging eventually unearthed the stone giant and the questions began. What was this huge being? A legend from the Onondaga Indians? Was it actually a real man? Within days, people were line up paying money to Mr. Newell to see the strange sight. Circus entrepreneur, P. T. Barnum got involved and created a duplicate for his circus entourage. Eventually, the scientists came and within months, the gypsum giant was declared a hoax. Jim Murphy’s talent for collecting newspaper articles, vintage photographs, posters and other primary sources combine to revisit the times that brought this post-Civil War diversion to the public and expose the truth with scientific proof and experiments. Murphy provides lengthy and detailed indexes and resources about his research at the end of the book. Learn more about author Jim Murphy at his website or read more about the back story at School Library Journal. For a visual lesson, teachers might like to show the CBC News Video report on the Cardiff Giant. Just as scientists worked on this puzzle, teachers might like to use “Giant Story Problems; Reading Comprehension through Math Problem-Solving” at ReadWriteThink.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Sobol, Richard. (2012). The story of silk: From worm spit to woven scarves. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

Author/photographer Richard Sobol returns to the small Thai village where he did his research for his book, The Life Of Rice (2010). He planned to share the new book with the people in the village. When he arrived he discovers they are in the midst of silk season, meaning it is a dry-season activity. The young men of the village are away at school and the silk production industry of the village is in the hands of the women. Sobol writes his book as a learner, asking questions about how silk is actually produced from start to finish. Through his photographs and basic textual information, the readers watches the development of the silk worms, the baskets where they munch fresh mulberry leaves, the pupa stage creating the cocoons, until the cocoons are carefully harvested, boiled, dyed and woven into beautiful fabric known the world over. The author has included a glossary and other useful facts about silk production at the end of the book. To learn more about this author and background information about silk, visit his Traveling Photographer website. Teachers might like to try the Nonfiction Pyramid lesson and graphic organizer found at ReadWriteThink.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

GRADES 9-12

Carson, Rae. (2012). Crown of embers. New York: Greenwillow Books.

In this sequel to The Girl of Fire and Thorns (2011), Elisa is now Queen of Joya d’Arena but her life is in danger. Being pressured by her council to remarry soon to build political alliances and yet finding unrest in the kingdom, she is reluctant to rush into a marriage.  Though she thoroughly accepts her responsibilities as ruler, she is also falling in love with her protector, though it is a love than cannot be. As Elisa learns more about her new country and is guided by the pulsating Godstone in her belly, she embarks on a voyage to discover and learn about the zafira, the soul of the world. Her life is threatened at every turn and the people that surround her have questionable loyalties. Who can she trust? What must she do next? As she works toward these difficult decisions, the enemy Inviernos invade her camp by means of a traitor and the end of the book has a cliffhanger that will leave readers anxiously awaiting the end of the trilogy. Visit the author’s website to learn more about this planned trilogy. Listen to Chapter One, Part 1 from the audiobook. Teachers can look for more fantasy recommendations at ReadWriteThink’s “Feminist Books for Teens.”

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Clayton, Colleen. (2012). What happens next. New York: Little, Brown Books/Poppy.

A high school ski club trip to the slopes ends up changing the life of sixteen-year-old cheerleader Sid Murphy when she is date raped but unable to remember anything about the incident. She tells no one what little she can remember about what happened, not even her mother or two best friends, Kirsten and Paige. Her initial avoidance of her friends angers them, and they shun her at school, leaving her to fend for herself. When she volunteers to work in the AV room rather than attend one of her classes, she is at first repulsed and then attracted to Corey Livingston, a classmate with a reputation as a drug dealer. As the two grow closer, Sid starts seeing herself and Corey differently. But there's just this "little" thing that keeps her off guard—how she was raped by someone she thought she could trust. Desperate to erase the voluptuous parts of her that seem to attract male attention, Sid began running at all hours of the night and eating next to nothing. She clearly needs help, but she keeps everyone at arm’s length. The author has created a likeable but understandably confused character in Sid while exploring her emotions and actions thoroughly. Because she feels as though she has so little control over many parts of her life, she controls the things she can control. Recognizing their own high school years when gossip and assumptions prompt drama, many teen readers are sure to race through the pages of the book to find out what happens next. In the end, while everything doesn’t turn out perfectly for Sid, she has the resources to survive and to begin to heal.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Reef, Catherine. (2012). The Bronte sisters: The brief lives of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne. New York/Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/Clarion Books.

This new biography provides glimpses into the lives, times, and personalities of the Bronte family. Surprisingly, three daughters of a minister who lived in Haworth in the north part of England all wrote and had books published during a time when the expected lot of women was marriage and family and  few published women writers. To read this carefully-researched biography is to learn about loss--the death of the girls' mother a few months after giving birth to her last child, the early deaths of two Bronte girls, the early promise and later dissipation and wasted potential of their brother Branwell, the deaths of Anne, Emily, and Branwell, all within an eight month period. But their lives weren't always filled with loss and bleakness; as children, the creative siblings played games and invented characters and stories, drawing strength from one another. The fact that even today Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights remain in print and are widely read refutes those who claimed that women were incapable of creating lasting works of literature. This is a superb introduction to three intriguing women, providing as it does, a study into their characters, but also an examination of times when women's rights were restricted and health care was rudimentary at best. Teen readers may ponder what other stories were left untold by the early demise of these women, all of whom died when they were in their thirties. Back matter includes notes and a bibliography for those who are curious to learn even more. English teachers will certainly want to add this to their bookshelves for the insight it gives into writing and Charlotte's stubborn refusal to change a word of Jane Eyre when it was published.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman.

Willner-Pardo, Gina. (2012). Prettiest doll. New York/Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/ Clarion Books.

All of her life thirteen-year-old Olivia Jane Tatum has heard how lucky she is to be so pretty. Yes, she knows she is fortunate, but she also longs to be known for much more than her looks. From the book’s opening pages, it’s clear that it’s only a matter of time before Olivia leaves the beauty pageant circuit with its endless rounds of walking, smiling, answering questions, posing in gowns, and searching for a talent that will impress the judges. But after she's no longer defining herself through her looks, how will she know who she actually is? The author does a good job of describing the small town world of Luthers Bridge, Missouri, where Olivia lives and her concern about who she is beneath all that pageantry finery, makeup, hairstyle, and smiles. A chance meeting with Danny, a fifteen-year-old runaway on his way to Chicago because he doesn't want to give in to his own mother's pressure to take growth hormone shots so he can grow taller, leads her to accompany him to Chicago in order to settle some of her own issues. Olivia’s journey to Chicago leads to the realization that being true to herself and following her own dreams rather than her mother's will make her a winner in the end. Readers will enjoy getting a glimpse into the life of someone for whom her appearance has been a ticket to success--or has it?

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

These reviews are submitted by members of the International Reading Association's Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) and are published weekly on Reading Today Online. The International Reading Association partners with the National Council of Teachers of English and Verizon Thinkfinity to produce ReadWriteThink.org, a website devoted to providing literacy instruction and interactive resources for grades K–12.

As much as children and adults look forward to the leisurely days of summer, many also eagerly anticipate the lower temperatures, the crisp air and frosty mornings as well as the pungent smell of apples and pumpkins being harvested that are associated with the autumn. As trees begin to dress themselves in golden and scarlet hues, their last hurrah before being shed for winter’s naked branches, fall beckons everyone to jump into a pile of freshly-raked leaves, to savor the taste and aroma of a marshmallow-filled cup of hot chocolate, and to trade summer linens for flannel sheets. This week’s reviews from members of the International Reading Association's Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group feature books about the season’s turning, something that always happens around this time of year.

GRADES K-3

Duke, Kate. (2012). Ready for pumpkins. New York: Random House/Knopf.

Guinea pig Herky, short for Hercules, is the class pet of Miss MacGuffey’s first graders. He enjoys his lifestyle very much with regular food, water, shelter and lots of attention from all the children who love him. At Halloween he watches the students carve pumpkins, including one they call the Herk-o-Lantern. Herky observes the students and learns about seeds, and he notes how the students plant green beans the following spring. Herky warms to the idea of planting his own garden, and when he is taken home for the summer to the farm of the teacher’s father, he decides to plant the pumpkin seeds he stored over the winter. With his newly-found rabbit friend, Daisy, Herky plants the seeds and then impatiently awaits the plants’ appearance. As the summer weeks pass, Herky grows angry that his seeds aren’t sprouting. When he stamps his feet and digs up a seed to see what is happening, Daisy explains that gardens take a long time to grow. They spend the summer playing games and singing songs. When it is time to go back to school, the pumpkins have still not appeared. The book ends with the teacher’s father bringing a basket of pumpkins to school later in the fall, to Herky’s delight--although Mr. MacGuffey has no idea who planted these surprise pumpkins. Readers may want to visit the author’s website for more background. Teachers may want to choose from a plethora of pumpkin plans at A to Z for Teachers. They will find even more pumpkin ideas at The Virtual Vine website.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Enslow, Brian. (2012). Fall colors. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow.

This nonfiction title for beginning readers introduces colors that are especially noticeable during the autumn season. The book opens with a note to parents and teachers discussing how this text introduces concepts and explains that there is an educator’s guide available at www.enslow.com. Each full-page spread contains a colorful photograph depicting an autumn object with two words. For example, one page shows an up close photograph of a maple leaf with its veins and stem. On the opposite page these simple words are included, “yellow leaf” (p. 11). This book is part of a series titled All about Colors of the Seasons. These titles are perfect for children who are learning the basics of reading: how to point to each word as they read, how the illustrations match the words and that reading has to make sense. In addition, this book contains a table of contents, index, websites and more information for early readers interested in learning more about the fall season.

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

Farrar, Sid. (2012). The year comes round: Haiku through the seasons. Illus. by Ilse Plume. New York: Albert Whitman.

This first-time author states, “The haiku in this book depict little vignettes in the natural world to describe these changes across the seasons and months of the year” (p. 28). Each double-page spread displays one haiku and an illustration of the season.  The book begins with winter, depicting Jack Frost and a snowman and then continuing through the changing seasons, ending with a bear getting ready to enter his winter den. The author has included information at the end of the book explaining the pattern used in writing haiku and also the cycle of life depicted within each season of the year. The Caldecott award-winning illustrator has created the companion artwork for each haiku that complements each season and the emotion evoked in the poetry. Teachers might like to try “Haiku Starter” from ReadWriteThink.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Flatt, Lizann. (2012). Counting on fall. Illus. by Ashley Barron. Toronto, Canada: Owlkids Books Inc.

Teachers in search of an interactive math book that serves multiple purposes will enjoy this title. Not only does it focus on elementary mathematics concepts such as counting, estimating, adding, and subtracting, but it also enfolds them in information on the fall season and animals, making it a perfect choice to build text sets and unit plans centered on those topics. Each time readers return to the book, they will perfect their elementary math skills. Readers will be captivated by the text’s playful but challenging and evocative words with activity questions in sidebars. Inviting both aesthetic and efferent reading, the book presents a parade of animals from many ecosystems. Endangered animals such as humpback whales, picas, pronghorn antelopes, Canada geese, brown bats, and black bears are shown busily engaged in a way that invites readers to participate. The pictures are made with layered, tactile collage art, which presents flora and fauna creatively and in their native habitats in eye-catching and bright-colored spreads. A great addition to any classroom or home library, this book would be useful in challenging readers across curriculum areas in an engaging manner.

- Rani Iyer, Washington State University Pullman

Franklin, Linda Campbell. (2012). Into the pumpkin. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Pub.

The witch has invited you to take a “peek through the pumpkin” (unpaged) and join all the Halloween regulars at the festivities. Using beautiful and ethereal illustrations, all the eerie characters found on Halloween are busy with the preparations for the party. What should they wear? Costumes or just go as themselves? Witches are laboring over the cauldron, spiders are on websites, skeletons are dancing, and even more preparation and activity bustles as party time approaches. Told in rhyming text, this delightfully scary, but not too scary, picture book will make a great read aloud for primary students. Teachers can have a little fun with their electronic white boards and carve a virtual pumpkin with their students at www.theoworlds.com/halloween or at www.abcya.com/pumpkin_carving.htm, or enjoy Halloween fun and enter the haunted house at the Ben and Jerry’s website.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Goldstone, Bruce. (2012). Awesome autumn. New York: Henry Holt.

This nonfiction look at fall contains just about every fact and aspect of autumn that a classroom teacher could need. Designed in an oversize format and illustrated with collage pictures and colorful photographs, the book features autumnal features including the wide variety of temperature changes, fall sports, food ripening and harvesting, explanations of trees changing color and losing their leaves, animal migrations, and fall holidays such as Halloween and Thanksgiving. If that’s not enough, there’s even more. This colorful, comprehensive book will serve as an interesting read for primary students as teachers make Common Core social studies and science connections. Teachers might like to use the slide show at the publisher’s website or visit the author’s website or try a lesson place called “Shhh!” Bear’s Sleeping: Learning about Nonfiction and Fiction Using Read Alouds” on ReadWriteThink.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Greene, Stephanie. (2012). Princess Posey and the monster stew. Illus. by Stephanie Roth Sisson. New York: Penguin/G. P. Putnam’s Sons.

Six-year-old Posey is a little nervous about Halloween this year because the other students in her first grade class say that only babies carry flashlights. In addition, her teacher, Miss Lee, has announced they will be making “monster stew” (unpaged) for Halloween this year, and Posey is not looking forward to that either. However, when she gets home and pulls her tutu out and transforms herself into Princess Posey, she finds a little bit of courage, and she knows she can face any challenge. Posey’s family supports her brave image (and tutu) and help her face her fears to enjoy trick or treat night in her princess costume. Teachers might enjoy this detailed activity guide at the Debbie Gonzales’ website.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Latta, Sara L. (2012). Why is it fall? Berkely Heights, NJ: Enslow.

This fun book makes science and weather easy to learn. Full-page photographs along with simple text describe when fall begins, why leaves change colors, what happens to plants in the fall, and what animals do in the fall, concluding with what people do in the fall. One beginning illustration shows how Earth moves around the sun in one year and how it tilts as it goes around. The text then explains, “The tilt causes more or less sunlight to fall on different parts of Earth” (p. 6). In addition, the book contains headings and text boxes. The book also has a science experiment, table of contents, words to know and index. Primary teachers will find this picture book a perfect addition to their classroom library.

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

McNamara, Margaret. (2012). Apples A to Z. Illus. by Jake Parker. New York: Scholastic.

Fox, Bear, and several other forest friends take young readers through the alphabet as they learn about everything related to apples. Each letter of the alphabet represents some aspect of apples, from the deciduous trees that they are, to “G”rafting new breeds, to “V” for the numerous varieties of apple. Comic illustrations make this fact-filled book an enjoyable look at information about apples. The end of the book shares information about Johnny Appleseed, jokes, science and fun facts. Teachers will want to check out this lesson idea entitled “Delicious, Tasty, Yummy: Enriching Writing with Adjectives and Synonyms” at ReadWriteThink.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Roode, Daniel. (2011). Little Bea and the snowy day. New York: HarperCollins/Greenwillow.

A good read aloud for young readers as the wintery months approach, this title celebrates in simple fashion all the delights of colder weather. Very young readers will enjoy reading the simple story of Little Bea, a bee who spends a day outdoors having fun in the snow with her friends. Since Bea and her friends busily skate, make angels in the snow, and throw snow balls at each other, children who love that time of the year will be able to relate and smile at the idea of Little Bea being covered in the snow and later nursing a mug filled with warm cocoa. Many of the words used are fun to say and describe exactly how Little Bea feels in the frosty air as she says, "Brrrrr" (unpaged) when cold air hits her face and "Wheeee!" (unpaged) as she flies through the snow. The ending will prompt smiles when Little Bea and her friends decide it’s time to make a new friend, and then they literally make one--a snowman, that is. The color-drenched illustrations were created with Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Rubin, Adam. (2012). Those darn squirrels fly south. Illus. by Daniel Salmieri. Boston/New York: Clarion Books.

As fall arrives and the leaves begin to fall from the trees, many of the local birds start heading south. Old Man Fookwire is sad to see them go since he loves watching their antics and painting them as they hang out in his backyard. But he’s not the only one who hates to see them go. Those pesky squirrels who seem to plague Fookwire want to know where exactly those birds are heading. They have somehow managed to craft various flying machines that enable them to follow the birds in order to follow those birds. Missing the birds--and, secretly, the squirrels too--Old Man Fookwire decides to climb in his hardly-used car and follow them too. Once he reaches their sunny destination, he is enchanted by the warm climate and relaxed atmosphere, not to mention the exotic birds and beach-front locale. It’s all too much for him, though, and all vacations must come to an end.  Eventually, he returns home with the squirrels in charge of the car and the driving. Readers are liable to laugh loudly at the illustration of the cranky old man with squirrels wrapped all around him, even hiding in his pants, draped on top of his head, and clutching his legs in welcome. Even the grumpiest reader will be unable to resist this sweet story about a surprising friendship and the watercolor, gouache, and colored pencil illustrations that accompany it. After all, everyone needs a break from work, and a vacation with those darn squirrels might just be the ticket to relaxation.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Stead, Philip C. (2012). Bear has a story to tell. Illus. by Erin E. Stead. New York: Roaring Brook Press.

As leaves begin to fall from the branches of trees and the autumn comes to an end right before winter sets in, Bear has a story to tell. He knows he doesn’t have much time since so many of his friends are leaving, and he, too, will need to find a den for the duration of the wintery months. But every time he approaches someone, he is dismissed. As much as they’d like to make time for Bear’s story, Mouse, Duck, and Frog are busily preparing for winter, and they simply can’t stop for him. In fact, Mole is already fast asleep. Since no one has time for his story, and a story always needs an audience, Bear resolves to remember to share his story when spring returns. But the winter months are long, and he can’t remember what story he wanted to tell once he awakens. After several unsuccessful attempts, he must rely on his friends, each of whom makes a contribution to the story’s content. Readers will be engaged by the simple but precise text and the illustrations that show how tired Bear is as he wanders through the forest in search of a listener. Despite his own preoccupation, he still manages to help his animal friends, even lifting a paw into the air to see what direction the wind is blowing as Duck prepares to fly away. The rapidly-diminishing fall foliage, the falling snowflakes, and then the greens of spring on the book's pages show the passage of time.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

GRADES 3-5

Jenkins, Emily. (2012). Invisible Inklings: Dangerous pumpkins. Illus. by Harry Bliss. New York: HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray.

This is the second book in the new middle grade series about Hank Wolowitz and his invisible bandapat friend, Inkling. In this latest adventure, fourth-grader Hank has lost his best friend when he moved away. Now there is no one to go trick or treating with and because of the strange way he has been acting due to his invisible friend Inkling, Hank is lonely. In addition, Inkling has cultivated a fondness for the taste of pumpkins. In fact, he likes pumpkins so much that he even eats Hank’s sister Nadia’s hand-carved pumpkin art projects, leaving Hank to take the blame. Trying to keep Inkling fed, Hank is going broke from his meager earnings at the family’s ice cream store. From imaginary friends to the trials and triumphs of real friendships, this early chapter book provides a story with which intermediate age kids will identify. Teachers may enjoy having an inside view of the book at the publisher’s website. For a fun way to introduce an Inkling watch and listen to the author talking to an inkling, teachers may want to take a look at the author's website. Also see In Other Words: Emily Jenkins (Invisible Inkling series) Finds Her Protagonist on the Engage blog.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

These reviews are submitted by members of the International Reading Association's Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) and are published weekly on Reading Today Online. 

The International Reading Association partners with the National Council of Teachers of English and Verizon Thinkfinity to produce ReadWriteThink.org, a website devoted to providing literacy instruction and interactive resources for grades K–12.

by Judith Hayn

Hogan, Edward. Daylight Saving. Somerville, MA: Candlewick, 2012.

Rupp, Rebecca. After Eli. Somerville, MA: Candlewick, 2012.

Two teen boys both named Daniel struggle with loss, and two different stories chronicle the journeys. Daniel Lever is an overweight, troubled lad whose Dad forces him on a week long holiday at Leisure World. Daniel’s mother has left them for another man, and the son is convinced he caused the break-up when he reported seeing her with the family doctor. His depression has led to bursts of anger and defiance at home and school while Dad drinks himself into a nightly stupor. At the resort, Daniel meets Lexi, a girl whose inexplicable injuries worsen at each encounter as her watch ticks backward. Is she real or just another hallucination so Daniel can hide his self-hatred? The climax occurs as Daylight Saving adds another hour; the tension and sense of doom are almost visceral as the author leads us to redemption for Daniel and his parents.

Daniel Anderson’s older brother Eli was killed in Iraq, and his death has ripped the family apart. His mother wallows in grief, seldom leaving the house while his dad demands more and more of Danny to replicate the success of the heroic son who is gone. Danny’s old life no longer makes much sense to him either; he compiles a Book of the Dead to force himself to look at others who died without much cause. He falls for a neighbor girl who is in town for the summer and befriends the high school dork Walter. His brief infatuation and new relationships threaten his status with the popular crowd at school, but somehow he moves on—aided by memories of Eli’s tutoring him in the art of living and surviving.

Both books, although occurring in two different locations (Great Britain and the United States), are tributes to the resiliency of the human heart when faced with unbearable hurt.

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).