by David L. Richardson and Susan Dove Lempke
Our two reviewers have been reading all year, and each has chosen their top 10 lists for 2007. Dave mourns the many books he never had a chance to read, among them Gordon Korman’s Schooled, Gabrielle Zevin’s Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac, Nancy Farmer’s The Land of the Silver Apples, and Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.
Susan wishes the number 10 was quite a bit larger to include such excellent titles as Gary Schmidt’s The Wednesday Wars, Brian Selznick’s The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Laura Vaccaro Seeger’s Dog and Bear, and Ellen Levine/Kadir Nelson’s Henry’s Freedom Box.
Although Dave managed to put his 10 picks into ranked order, Susan has grouped hers by reader age. But both agree that Emily Gravett’s humorous Orange Pear Apple Bear deserves a spot on anyone’s Top 10 of 2007.
10. Someday by Alison McGhee, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds (Atheneum, 2007, US$14.99, all ages). Someday recounts a mother’s wishes for her daughter’s life with, of course, a full-circle twist at the end. Any book that causes grown women (and some men) to cry in the middle of a bookstore deserves recognition.
9. Toy Boat by Randall de Sève, illustrated by Loren Long (Philomel, 2007, US$16.99, ages 4–8). A beautifully written tale of a lost toy that learns how to survive in the harsh world in order to make it back to his boy. Long’s stunning illustrations make this imaginative story an instant classic and a Caldecott contender.
8. Jesse Owens: Fastest Man Alive by Carol B. Weatherford, illustrated by Eric Velasquez (Walker, 2007, US$16.95, ages 7 and up). Weatherford’s stirring, poetic account of Jesse Owens’s 1936 Olympic victories offers so much more than a biographical description of this great athlete. Weatherford’s words and Velasquez’s illustrations emphasize the irony of how the United States treated African Americans as second-class citizens while condemning Germany for its treatment of the Jews.
7. The Perfect Nest by Catherine Friend, illustrated by John Manders (Candlewick, 2007, US$16.99, ages 4 and up). When a cat builds the perfect nest to trick the local fowl into laying their eggs for his breakfast, he gets a big surprise. Charming, funny, heartwarming, a great read-aloud, and deserving of recognition.
6. Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson (Viking, 2007, US$16.99, ages 15 and up). A stirring and sometimes disturbing “coming of age” novel about a teenager who discovers the realities of his world. Anderson is a master of voice, and she certainly shows her skill here, flawlessly capturing the angst-ridden voice of her 16-year-old male protagonist. This is her best work since Speak. A book meant for the older crowd but one that shouldn’t be missed.
5. Reaching for Sun by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer (Bloomsbury, US$14.99, ages 10 and up). All young Josie wants is a friend. But getting one can be more difficult for her than others because she has cerebral palsy. When Jordan moves in nearby, she finds a friend—until the popular girls begin to notice him, too. The poignant, free-verse tale is a must-read for all.
4. Orange Pear Apple Bear by Emily Gravett (Simon & Schuster, 2007, US$12.99, ages 1–4). Five words make up the entire text of this quirky little book. Gravett’s ingenious pairing of words, along with her delightful watercolor illustrations, make this one of the year’s best.
3. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (Scholastic, 2007, US$22.99, ages 9 and up). Selznick’s genius shines through in this one-of-a-kind work. It’s so original, there is no way to categorize it. Beautifully illustrated and skillfully written, The Invention of Hugo Cabret will attract even the most reluctant reader.
2. Spanking Shakespeare by Jake Wizner (Random House, 2007, US$15.99, ages 16 and up). It’s an irreverent and shocking narrative appropriately classified YA, but also the funniest book of the year. Wizner’s self-deprecating narrator, Shakespeare Shapiro, approaches his dysfunctional family with wit and wisdom and somehow turns tragedy into comedy.
1. The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt (Clarion, 2007, US$16.00, ages 11 and up). A superbly written story about a young man who learns to see the world differently, thanks to his teacher, William Shakespeare, and a pair of wayward pet rats. A true joy to read. My pick for best of the year.
David L. Richardson, a former junior high school language arts teacher, is a freelance writer based in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
Here’s a Little Poem by Jane Yolen (Candlewick, 2007, US$21.95, ages birth and up). Longtime children’s author and poet Yolen selects poems both classic and modern for young children that are exactly on target developmentally in this celebration of life and language. Polly Dunbar’s illustrations keep step perfectly, creating a book that is ideal for preschools and home libraries alike.
Orange Pear Apple Bear by Emily Gravett (Simon & Schuster, 2007, US$12.99, ages 1–4). Five little words, three little objects, and one largish bear make up one of the year’s best picture books. Gravett shows how the meanings of words change by reordering them in this funny story, also told through her softly colored illustrations of the bear and three kinds of fruit.
A Good Day by Kevin Henkes (Greenwillow, 2007, US$16.99, ages 2–5). The year’s other best picture book also uses a simple but deeply satisfying story for the youngest children, in which four creatures begin with a bad day that resolves itself happily.
Today I Will Fly! by Mo Willems (Hyperion, 2007, US$8.99, ages 4–8). Though Willems’s sequel to Knuffle Bunny also deserves a spot on my list, I’m choosing an Elephant & Piggie Book to mark the debut of this exuberant new series of easy readers. Pink, optimistic Piggie and worried, gray Elephant make a very funny and memorable team.
Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll (Jump at the Sun, 2007, US$15.99, ages 7 and up). Christopher Myers takes those delightfully nonsensical words from Carroll’s classic poem and envisions the “slithy toves” doing their gyring and gymbaling in a playground setting.
I Am Not Joey Pigza by Jack Gantos (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2007, US$16.00, ages 10–14). It’s never good news when Joey’s father turns back up in his life; in this new Joey Pigza book (which can be read alone), Gantos depicts the struggle Joey faces to retain his identity with heartwrenching, painfully funny scenes.
Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices From a Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz (Candlewick, 2007, US$19.99, ages 11–15). Schlitz achieves a remarkably well-rounded picture of medieval village life in this set of poems intended to be acted out in a classroom setting. However, the history isn’t the only star—as in last year’s wonderful novel A Drowned Maiden’s Hair, Schlitz skillfully conveys character through her adroit use of language and style. The book’s overall appeal is greatly enhanced by Robert Byrd’s well-researched watercolors.
Who Was First? Discovering the Americas by Russell Freedman (Clarion, 2007, US$19.00, ages 10–14). The always-reliable nonfiction author Freedman again delivers with this clear, engaging, and provocative look at the earliest history of the Americas. Freedman brings out a number of theories and helps students understand the multiple points of view and disagreements amongst experts. The use of white space, the large, well-chosen pictures, and the spare length help make the book approachable, too.
The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Sís (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2007, US$18.00, ages 10 and up). In this tall picture book autobiography, Sís recounts the story of his years growing up in Communist Czechoslovakia. Though the dozens of pencil drawings with touches of red tell most of the history, the text is sparse but eloquent. This powerful book will bring life to the phrase “Cold War” for today’s young adults.
The Arrival by Shaun Tan (Arthur Levine/Scholastic, 2007, US$19.99, ages 10 and up). Words can’t do justice to this story told entirely through pictures. Australian author Tan tells the story of a new immigrant coming to a place that is both like and unlike the United States and provides an emotional ride through his experience and that of his fellow newcomers. This is a stunning work that defies categorization.
Susan Dove Lempke is head of the Children’s Department at the Niles Public Library District in Illinois and a reviewer for The Horn Book Magazine.
A top 10 list times two: The year’s best books. (December 2007). Reading Today, 25(3), 36.
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