By: Becky Laney,
on 11/27/2007
In the category of "how did I miss this???" and "I really really really really wish I had a publicist contact here" (Disney Press) or "this would make a great birthday present for me (happy almost birthday to me--the big day is Thursday) I present my latest discovery:
Walt Disney's Cinderella retold by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Mary Blair
By: Becky Laney,
on 9/21/2007
I just discovered this gem on Amazon. Releasing November 27th (Just 2 days before my birthday--and Lewis' birthday, by the way) The Chronicles of Narnia Pop-up: Based on the Books by C.S. Lewis. Robert Sabuda. Matthew Armstrong. Matthew Reinhart. The publisher is HarperCollins. (Oh how I wish I had a contact in HarperCollins in the publicity department. Not only do I want this book, I want to review so so many of their children's books!!!!!)
By: Becky Laney,
on 8/6/2007
There was a time when I never thought I'd use the word "joy" and "August" in the same sentence. After all, as a kid August meant the beginning of the end. A dreadful countdown to the most anxiety-ridden day of the year: the first day of school. (It's not that I hated school necessarily. It wasn't the learning. It was the social stuff I dreaded. Shy kids and first days of school just don't mix well.)
Here are some reasons to get EXCITED about August. (And for the record, consider them all on my "wishlist" of books I'd love to review.)
First and foremost there is the release of the ever-anticipated much-talked-about novel Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer. The publisher is Little, Brown. It releases this Tuesday. August 7th. Of course there are hundreds of other books releasing in August. But Eclipse I think is the most highly anticipated release.
For those that can't get enough of vampires and werewolves. You might be interested that both Blood and Chocolate and The Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis Klause are being released in paperback by Random House on August 14th. Exactly one week after Eclipse. I think they know teens will be eager for more reads "like" Twilight...and New Moon...and Eclipse.
Also vampire related is Adele Griffin's Vampire Island which releases August 16th. The publisher is Penguin.
Seeing Redd by Frank Beddor, the sequel to The Looking Glass Wars, is releasing August 21, 2007. The Looking Glass Wars is being released in paperback that day as well. The publisher for both is Penguin.
Other sequels releasing in August include Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli which releases August 14th...the publisher is Random House. And Guyaholic by Carolyn Mackler which also releases August 14th. The publisher of Guyaholic is Candlewick. The Land of Silver Trolls by Nancy Farmer is being released August 21, 2007. The publisher is Simon & Schuster. (I'm not quite sure if it's a companion to Sea of Trolls...or if it is a sequel. But it is one of the two.)
By: Becky Laney,
on 6/5/2007
January
If You're Happy And You Know It by Raffi (Random House)
In the Beginning by Mary Josephs (Random House)
My Little Miracle by J. Beck (Scholastic)
My Very First Book of Animal Homes by Eric Carle (Penguin Group USA)
My Very First Book of Animal Sounds by Eric Carle (Penguin Group USA)
Please and Thank You, God by Dennis Shealy (Random House)
The Poky Little Puppy by Janette Sebring Lowrey (Random House)
Prayers for Children, illustrated by Eloise Wilkin (Random House)
Slide and Find--Trucks by Roger Priddy (St. Martin's Press)
The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter (Penguin Group USA)
February
Baby Flip-a-Face: Yellow, Red, Blue by SAMi (Blue Apple Books)
Do You Have A Tail? by Simms Taback (Blue Apple Books)
Ducks in Muck by Lori Haskins (Random House)
Gossie by Olivier Dunrea (Houghton Mifflin)
Gossie and Gertie by Olivier Dunrea (Houghton Mifflin)
Goodnight Baby! by Sabine Kraushaar (Chronicle Books)
I Like Stars by Margaret Wise Brown (Random House)
My First Read and Learn Book of Prayers (Scholastic)
Oink-Oink: And Other Animal Sounds (Cricket Books)
Seven Little Teddy Bears by SAMi (Blue Apple Books)
Tall by Jez Alborough (Candlewick Press)
March
Andy Warhol's Colors by Susan Goldman Rubin (Chronicle Books)
B is for Bear by Roger Priddy (St. Martin's Press)
By: Becky Laney,
on 6/4/2007
What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones. Fans of Sones have been waiting a long time for this companion novel/sequel to the ever-popular What My Mother Doesn't Know. Sones is a great writer, a verse novelist. Simon & Schuster. June 5, 2007. (Read my review, here.)
Strange Relations by Sonia Levitin will be released June 12, 2007, by Random House. A summer in paradise. That's all Marne wants. That's all she can think of when she asks her parents permission to spend the summer in Hawaii with Aunt Carole and her family. 
But Marne quickly realizes her visit isn't going to be just about learning to surf and morning runs along the beach, despite the cute surfer boy she keeps bumping into. For one thing, Aunt Carole isn't even Aunt Carole anymore—she's Aunt Chaya, married to a Chasidic rabbi and deeply rooted in her religious community. Nothing could be more foreign to Marne, and fitting into this new culture—and house full of kids—is a challenge. But as she settles into her newfound family's daily routine, she begins to think about spirituality, identity, and finding a place in the world in a way she never has before.This rich novel is a window into a different life and gets to the very heart of faith, identity, and family ties.
And here's a book you don't see every day, Tall Tales of the West: A Humorous Collection of Cowboy Poems and Songs by Eric Ode. Illustrated by Ben Crane. The publisher is Meadowbrook. It releases June 26, 2007. Tall Tales of the Wild West is the first major collection of “cowboy poetry” for kids! Cowboy poet Eric Ode has written a humorous collection of entertaining shorts about the legendary cowboys and cowgirls who had a home where the buffalo roamed. Ode is an award-winning singer/songwriter who is one of the most prolific and popular Giggle Poets. His work appears in seven Meadowbrook Press poetry and song anthologies. This collection of 20 sidesplitting poems and knee-slapping songs has been tested on more than 1,000 kids to prove they are side-splitting fun! It includes poems about a cowboy who only bathes once a year, a chili contest with a very explosive ending, the world's tiniest cowboy (who rounds up rodents instead of cows), a shy cowboy who selects a horse from a line of charming dance partners, and a song about “Horseshoe Hannah,” a bandit who steals both wallets and hearts. This collection proves Ode to be a true “wrangler” of poetry and music! Doesn't that sound fun?
And here's a fun-sounding picture book: How Do You Make A Baby Smile? (Almost sounds like a question Elmo would ask Dorothy, doesn't it?) It is written by Philemon Sturges and illustrated by Bridget Streven-s Marzo. HarperCollins is the publisher, and it was released on June 1, 2007. Wiggle your ear! Play peekaboo! Make a face! And join dozens of friendly animals—plus one very patient older sister—as they use their best tricks to make their babies smile, laugh, coo, and grin. With a simple rhyming text by Philemon Sturges and bright, bold illustrations by Bridget Strevens-Marzo, How Do You Make a Baby Smile? is the perfect book for babies and all those who love them!
And one of many classics reprinted this June is The Growing Story by Ruth Krauss. Originally published in 1947, it is now being republished with new illustrations by Helen Oxenbury. The publisher is HarperCollins, and the release date was June 1, 2007. (Others in this category include: Nicolas, Where Have You Been? by Leo Lionni which was originally published in 1987; The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum which was originally published in 1900; A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett; The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain.
First Light by Rebecca Stead will be released on June 26, 2007. The publisher is Random House. (I'll try to have it read and reviewed by then. The ARC has been sitting in my to-be-read pile for a few weeks now. But I will get to it soon.) In the meantime, you can content yourself with this description: Peter is thrilled to join his parents on an expedition to Greenland, where his father studies global warming. Peter will get to skip school, drive a dogsled, and–finally–share in his dad’s adventures. But on the ice cap, Peter struggles to understand a series of visions that both frighten and entice him. Thea has never seen the sun. Her extraordinary people, suspected of witchcraft and nearly driven to extinction, have retreated to a secret world they’ve built deep inside the arctic ice. As Thea dreams of a path to Earth’s surface, Peter’s search for answers brings him ever closer to her hidden home. Rebecca Stead’s fascinating debut novel is a dazzling tale of mystery, science and adventure at the top of the world.
Spells & Sleeping Bags by Sarah Mlynowski will be released on June 26, 2007. The publisher is Random House. While I didn't get a chance to read the second book in the series, I did read the first book several years ago. So it's nice to see the series continue. Perhaps I'll catch up with these characters again soon. At long last, Rachel's powers have arrived and she's a bona fide get-your-broom-ready witch! And it's happened just in time. No Manhattan for her this summer—she's spending her vacation at Camp Wood Lake. But she's having some serious issues: Mosquitoes in the Adirondacks are incredibly thirsty. Her stepmom keeps sending embarrassing feminine hygiene care packages. She accidentally zapped away all her clothes. And there's a backstabber in her cabin intent on making life miserable. Good thing Rachel's a witch.
And doesn't this sound like delicious nonfiction? I Want to Live: The Diary of A Young Girl in Stalin's Russia by Nina Lugovskaya. It is published by Houghton Mifflin. Recently unearthed in the archives of Stalin's secret police, the NKVD, Nina Lugovskaya's diary offers rare insight into the life of a teenage girl in Stalin's Russia—when fear of arrest was a fact of daily life. Like Anne Frank, thirteen-year-old Nina is conscious of the extraordinary dangers around her and her family, yet she is preoccupied by ordinary teenage concerns: boys, parties, her appearance, who she wants to be when she grows up. As Nina records her most personal emotions and observations, her reflections shape a diary that is as much a portrait of her intense inner world as it is the Soviet outer one.Preserved here, these markings—the evidence used to convict Nina as a "counterrevolutionary"�offer today's reader a fascinating perspective on the era in which she lived.
And here's another title from Meadowbrook Press, I'm Allergic To School: Funny Poems and Songs About School by Robert Pottle and illustrated by Mike & Carl Gordon. It is releasing June 26, 2007. While it may be summer, it's never too early to be picking out school-related titles for next year! (After all, summer is when teachers have a chance to catch up on reading!)
The Wonderful Thing About Hiccups by Cece Meng and illustrated by Janet Pedersen. The publisher is Houghton Mifflin Company. The release date is June 4, 2007. As the cover clearly shows, this book is all about fun. It starts with a case of hiccups during story time at the library. And that leads to an outrageous and hilarious adventure involving a hippo, a little sister, an overturned ice cream cart, a librarian who's afraid of heights, and a stack of library books that must be returned—on time and in good condition—if the narrator is going to get her very own library card. And nothing could be more wonderful than that! Brightly colored, energetic illustrations make the most of the slapstick humor in this rollicking readaloud.
Billie Standish Was Here by Nancy Crocker. Releases June 5, 2007, from Simon & Schuster. CAN ONE UNLIKELY FRIENDSHIP SAVE A LIFE? Billie Standish has pretty much no one. Her parents are too caught up in their own lives, and the only two girls in town her age want nothing to do with her. When it looks like a nearby levee might break, and Billie's elderly neighbor, Miss Lydia, is the only other person besides her family to stick around, a friendship is born out of circumstance. What happens during that time, in that empty town, is a tragedy that Billie can't bear alone. Can the love of one woman nearing the end of her life save the life of a young woman just at the beginning of living hers?
The Off Season by Catherine Gilbert Murdock is releasing June 4, 2007. The publisher is Houghton Mifflin. You can read my review here. This is one of my favorites so far.
The Siren Song by Anne Ursu is releasing June 5, 2007. It is the sequel to The Shadow Thieves. The publisher is Simon & Schuster. Inside an ordinary middle school in an ordinary city, a small redheaded eighth grader is doing something very ordinary, indeed. Ever since Charlotte Mielswetzski and her cousin, Zee, saved the world, life has been rather ordinary. Ordinary, that is, if you call being ultramegagrounded (in Charlotte's case) or treated as if you might fall to pieces (in Zee's case) ordinary. Either way, heroes deserve better. Of course, no one knows Charlotte and Zee are heroes. It's not like they can simply announce that Greek myths are real or proclaim they have returned from the Underworld, where they rescued all of mankind from Philonecron, a deranged demigod with delusions of grandeur. Instead, they are forced to keep this terrible knowledge to themselves, and are stuck in a state of extraordinary ordinariness. But things aren't quite as ordinary as they seem. For Philonecron is the grandson of Poseidon, and you don't mess with the progeny of the second most powerful god in the universe. And Philonecron himself isn't so happy about having all of his delicious plans thwarted by mortal children. He wants revenge, and with his grandfather to help him, he is going to get what he wants. For Charlotte and Zee, their not-so-ordinary lives are about to be disrupted once again. This time it's not the world they must save -- it's themselves. In the thrilling second installment of the Cronus Chronicles trilogy, author Anne Ursu brings her trademark wit to a spectacular adventure on the high seas.
No Talking by Andrew Clements will be released on June 26, 2007. The publisher is Simon & Schuster. "You have the right to remain silent." However...The fifth-grade girls and the fifth-grade boys at Laketon Elementary don't get along very well. But the real problem is that these kids are loud and disorderly. That's why the principal uses her red plastic bullhorn. A lot.Then one day Dave Packer, a certified loudmouth, bumps into an idea -- a big one that makes him try to keep quiet for a whole day. But what does Dave hear during lunch? A girl, Lynsey Burgess, jabbering away. So Dave breaks his silence and lobs an insult. And those words spark a contest: Which team can say the fewest words during two whole days? And it's the boys against the girls.How do the teachers react to the silence? What happens when the principal feels she's losing control? And will Dave and Lynsey plunge the whole school into chaos?This funny and surprising book is about language and thought, about words unspoken, words spoken in anger, and especially about the power of words spoken in kindness...with or without a bullhorn. It's Andrew Clements at his best -- thought-provoking, true-to-life, and very entertaining.
Justin Somper continues his vampire series with the release of Vampirates: Tide of Terror on June 1, 2007. The publisher is Little, Brown Young Readers. In this sequel to Vampirates: Demons of the Ocean, there's a traitor aboard the Diablo and enemies at every turn. As the danger intensifies, Grace discovers a place where her twin brother Connor could learn more about the pirate way without risking his life: the elite Pirate Academy. Will Connor choose an education by sea or by school, and will Grace be forced to follow him wherever he goes?
The Adventures of Thor The Thunder God by Lise Lunge-Larsen and illustrated by Jim Madsen. The publisher is Houghton Mifflin. Releases June 18, 2007. He is the biggest and mightiest of the gods. If he tightens his belt, he doubles his strength. If he swings his hammer, lightning flashes. When he races his billy goats across the sky, their hooves kick up huge thunderclouds. And when the folks below in Middle Earth hear a boom of thunder, they always smile, for they know their loyal Thor, protector and defender of civilization, has once again brought order to the universe. Told and retold often and with great affection, the Thor stories have been around since the days of the Vikings. Here, illustrated with high drama and written with humor and skill, are ancient stories made accessible and fun.
The Eyes of van Gogh by Cathryn Clinton will be released on June 12, 2007 by Candlewick Press. You can read about it here.
Penguin by Polly Dunbar will be released June 12, 2007. (I absolutely loved Dog Blue.) The publisher is Candlewick Press. A quirky new tale from a rising talent — in which a bossy little boy receives a surprising comeuppance.When Ben rips open his present, he finds a penguin inside. "Hello, Penguin!" he says. "What shall we play?" But Penguin says nothing. Even when Ben tickles its belly, sings a funny song, does a dizzy dance, stands on his head, sticks out his tongue, and resorts to increasingly rude and drastic measures, Penguin makes no response. What will it take for Penguin to say something — or for Ben to understand what Penguin has to say? Fresh, spare illustrations bring whimsy to this wonderful tale, in which a silent Penguin turns marvelously eloquent and a little boy finally gets his heart’s desire.
Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen. Published by Random House. Releases June 12, 2007.
Read about it here.
Duchessina by Carolyn Meyer. Published by Harcourt. Released June 1, 2007. You can read my review of it here.
And isn't this a unique title for a picture book? Dadblamed Union Army Cow by Susan Fletcher. Illustrated by Kimberly Bulcken Root. Published by Candlewick Press. She just won’t git! A Union army soldier can’t shake his dadblamed cow in this uplifting tale based on a true story."THAT DADBLAMED COW!" She follows her owner into the Union army and then straight on south to fight in the war. She needs unstomped grass to eat, she gets stuck in the mud, and she’s just plain DANGEROUS in battle. But this peculiar cow also gives the weary soldiers some surprising comforts. Based on stories and newspaper reports from the Civil War and full of lively illustrations, this is a heartwarming tale of one wonderfully dadblamed PERSISTENT cow. Doesn't that description make you want to read the book? I've just got to know this story! So if you're a publicist at Candlewick, please send me a review copy!
A Portrait of Pia by Marisabina Russo. Published by Harcourt. Released June 1, 2007. You can read about it here.
Eggs by Jerry Spinelli. Published by Little, Brown Young Readers. Released June 1, 2007. Read about it here.
Into the Wild by Sarah Beth Durst. Published by Penguin Group, USA. Releases June 21, 2007. I do have an ARC of this to review. I just haven't gotten a chance to read it yet. But the review will be forthcoming, I promise.
They Came From Below by Blake Nelson. Published by Tom Doherty Associates. Releases June 26, 2007. Read about it here.
A Darkling Plain by Philip Reeve. Published by HarperCollins. Released June 1, 2007. Read about it here.
A Non-blonde Cheerleader in Love by Kieran Scott. Published by Penguin Group USA. Releases June 21, 2007. Description. I've read the first in the series, but not the second.
Girl At Sea by Maureen Johnson. Published by HarperCollins. Released June 1, 2007. Sometimes you have to get lost. The Girl: Clio, seventeen, wants to spend the summer smooching her art-store crush, not stuck on a boat in the Mediterranean. At least she'll get a killer tan. The Mission: Survive her father's annoying antics. Oh, also find some underwater treasure that could be the missing link to a long-lost civilization. The Crew: Dad's absentminded best friend Martin, his scary girlfriend Julia, her voluptuous daughter Elsa . . . and then there's Aidan, Julia's incredibly attractive, incredibly arrogant research assistant. What's going on behind Aidan's intellectual, intensely green eyes, anyway? As Clio sails into uncharted territory she unveils secrets that have the power to change history. But her most surprising discovery is that there's something deeper and more mysterious than the sea—her own heart.
There are many other titles that look great. I may make another installment of June Releases soon.
By: Becky Laney,
on 5/27/2007
Yesterday, I wrote a post devoted to highlighting some of this year's nonfiction publications. Some were already available, but most had not been released yet. Today, I discovered one that looks absolutely delicious.
Golden Legacy: How Golden Books Won Children's Hearts, Changed Publishing Forever, and Became an American Icon Along the Way by Leonard S. Marcus. Publisher RandomHouse (Golden Books). Will be released (according to Amazon) October 23, 2007. THE YEAR 2007 marks the 65th anniversary of a bold experiment: the launch of the Little Golden Books during the dark days of World War II. At a time when the literacy rate was not nearly as high as it is now - and privation was felt by nearly all - quality books for children would now be available at a price nearly everyone could afford (25 cents), and sold where ordinary people shopped. Golden Legacy is a lively history of a company, a line of books, the groundbreaking writers and artists who created them, the clever mavericks who marketed and sold them, and the cultural landscape that surrounded them.
By: Becky Laney,
on 5/26/2007
There is something so wonderful about discovering new nonfiction books. I love fiction, but I love nonfiction too. And sometimes it seems that there is less publicity about nonfiction. I am always finding new fiction titles that I want to read, but it seems I really have to search to see what is new in nonfiction. The list isn't exhaustive, but I may post again later with other findings for the year.
The Warmest Room in the House: How the Kitchen Became the Heart of the American Home, 1584 to the Present by Steven Gdula. Published by Bloomsbury USA. Will be released December 26, 2007.
Thomas Jefferson once wrote that if you really want to understand the workings of a society, you have to “look into their kettles” and “eat their bread.” Steve Gdula gives us a view of American culture from the most popular room in the house: the kitchen. Examining the relationship between trends and innovations in the kitchen and the cultural attitudes beyond its four walls, Gdula creates a lively portrait of over 350 years of American domestic life. The Warmest Room in the House explores major historic themes, including the challenges of procurement in the seventeenth century, preservation in the eighteenth century, industrialization and enlightenment in the nineteenth century, and modernization in the twentieth. Gdula traces the evolution of American foods, recipes, trends, and styles of cooking, beginning with the exchanges that took place between the Powhatan Indians and the Jamestown settlers about nutrition through today’s polyglot international cuisine. Filled with fun facts about food trends, from Hamburger Helper to The Moosewood Cookbook, and food personalities, from Catherine Beecher to Martha Stewart, The Warmest Room in the House is the perfect addition to any well-rounded kitchen larder.
The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Sis. Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Will be released August 21, 2007. “I was born at the beginning of it all, on the Red side—the Communist side—of the Iron Curtain.” Through annotated illustrations, journals, maps, and dreamscapes, Peter Sís shows what life was like for a child who loved to draw, proudly wore the red scarf of a Young Pioneer, stood guard at the giant statue of Stalin, and believed whatever he was told to believe. But adolescence brought questions. Cracks began to appear in the Iron Curtain, and news from the West slowly filtered into the country. Sís learned about beat poetry, rock ’n’ roll, blue jeans, and Coca-Cola. He let his hair grow long, secretly read banned books, and joined a rock band. Then came the Prague Spring of 1968, and for a teenager who wanted to see the world and meet the Beatles, this was a magical time. It was short-lived, however, brought to a sudden and brutal end by the Soviet-led invasion. But this brief flowering had provided a glimpse of new possibilities—creativity could be discouraged but not easily killed. By joining memory and history, Sís takes us on his extraordinary journey: from infant with paintbrush in hand to young man borne aloft by the wings of his art.
Many Rides of Paul Revere by James Cross Giblin. Published by Scholastic. Will be released October 1, 2007. Paul Revere is commonly remembered in the Longfellow legend of his Midnight Ride before the 1775 Battles of Lexington and Concord. In this bright, informative biography, Giblin follows Revere's life from his humble beginnings as a French immigrant's son to his work as a silversmith and a horse messenger amid the mounting pressures of revolution. In precise, accessible prose, Giblin chronicles Revere's daring acts -- both the famous and the overlooked. Along the way, he portrays a brave, compassionate, multitalented American patriot. Paul Revere had a wide range of activities: Besides being a rider for the Revolution, he was a famed silversmith, engraved cartoons and paper money, and practiced dentistry. He was an early American manufacturer, and his silver business is still thriving today. Connections to contemporary times can be drawn from his being the son of a French immigrant, and from his activities in the American insurgency against Britain in the Revolution. James Cross Giblin's major awards include: Sibert Medal 15 ALA Notables 4 Best Books for Young Adults 5 Orbis Pictus Honors 2 Boston Globe/Horn Book Honors for Nonfiction Washington Post Body of Work Award National Book Award 3 Golden Kite Awards 2 Ohio State Awards.
Take-Off: American All-Girl Bands During World War II by Tonya Bolden. Published by Random House (Knopf Books for Young Readers). Released May 8, 2007. The 1940's was a time when society thought it improper for women to make a sax wail or let loose hot licks on skins, but with the advent of World War II and many men away fighting the war, women finally got their chance to strut their stuff on the bandstand. These all-girl bands kept morale high on the homefront and on USO tours of miltary bases across the globe while also helping to establish America's legacy in jazz music."Take-off?" Oh, yeah. Several all-girl bands did.This book includes a hip swing CD.
The Real Benedict Arnold by Jim Murphy. Published by Houghton Mifflin (Clarion). Releases September 17, 2007.
Who Was First? by Russell Freedman. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company (Clarion). Releases October 15, 2007.
Marie Curie by Kathleen Krull. Published by Penguin Group USA (Viking Juvenile). Releases October 4, 2007.
Talk about a “glowing reputation”! Marie Curie, the woman who coined the term radioactivity, won not just one Nobel prize but two—in physics and in chemistry, both supposedly girl-phobic sciences. As with her previous star-studded biographies of Leonardo da Vinci, Isaac Newton, and Sigmund Freud—all three chosen as ALA Notable Books—Kathleen Krull offers readers a fascinating portrait of this mythic “giant of science” who abhorred publicity. And she also places Curie’s ground-breaking discovery of two elements within the framework of science at that time.
Pocahontas: Princess of the New World by Kathleen Krull. Published by Walker & Company. Released March 20, 2007. She was the favored daughter of the Chief of the Powhatan Indians, and a girl in motion; always laughing, teasing, and dancing. But from the moment John Smith and the colonists of Jamestown set foot into her world in 1607, her life would change forever. She soon became an ambassador and peace keeper between the Powhatan and the colonists. Because of her curiosity and courage, Pocahontas became the bridge between the two worlds. Four hundred years after this world-changing clash of cultures, the true story about America’s original “Founding Mother” is finally revealed. Reunited for the first time since Wilma Unlimited, Kathleen Krull and David Diaz deliver a visually stunning, fascinating birth-to-death account of this true American Princess.
The Flag Maker by Susan Campbell Bartoletti. Published by Houghton Mifflin. Released May 14, 2007. Here in lyrical prose is the story of the flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write the words that became the national anthem of the United States. This flag, which came to be known as the Star-Spangled Banner, also inspired author Susan Campbell Bartoletti, who, upon seeing it at the Smithsonian Institution, became curious about the hands that had sewn it.Here is her story of the early days of this flag as seen through the eyes of young Caroline Pickersgill, the daughter of an important flag maker, Mary Pickersgill, and the granddaughter of a flag maker for General George Washington's Continental Army. It is also a story about how a symbol motivates action and emotion, brings people together, and inspires courage and hope.
Down the Colorado: John Wesley Powell, the One-Armed Explorer by Deborah Kogan Ray. Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Will be released October 16, 2007. Although John Wesley Powell’s minister father always wanted his son to follow in his footsteps, young Wes had different plans for his future. Enraptured by the wonders of the natural world, he was determined to take the path of science. Even after losing his right arm below the elbow in battle during the Civil War, Wes would not be deterred from his dream of leading the first scientific expedition down the Colorado River and through the Grand Canyon. Braving treacherous rapids and perilous waterfalls, Major Powell would surpass all expectations and return home a national hero. With breathtaking illustrations and excerpts from Powell’s own journals, Deborah Kogan Ray brings to vivid life the exploits and explorations of one of America’s greatest conservationists.
The Signers: 56 Stories Behind the Declaration of Independence by Dennis Brindell Fradin. Published by Walker & Company. Will be released May 29, 2007. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”For more than 225 years these words have inspired men and women in countries the world over to risk everything in pursuit of these lofty ideals. When they first appeared in our nation’s birth certificate, the Declaration of Independence, they were a call to action for a colony on the brink of rebellion. The 56 men who dared to sign their names to this revolutionary document knew they were putting their reputations, their fortunes, and their very lives on the line by boldly and publicly declaring their support for liberty and freedom. As Benjamin Franklin said as he signed his name, “We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately!”Who were these men who are the first heroes of our nation? Award-winning team of author Dennis Brindell Fradin and illustrator Michael McCurdy bring their considerable talents together to illuminate the lives of these valiant men, ranging from the poorest farmers to the wealthiest merchants, whose dauntless courage inspired thousands of colonists to risk all for freedom.
Consider these titles to be all on my wishlist; in other words, I'd love to review them for the site and would gladly accept review copies from the publishers.
By: Becky Laney,
on 5/19/2007
"Most Wanted Books of 2007" Picture Books Edition
Mo Willems's Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity will be released September 18, 2007. The publisher is Disney Children's Books (Hyperion). Her Daddy in tow, Trixie hurries off to school to show off her one-of-a-kind Knuffle Bunny to her classmates; but an awful surprise awaits her: someone else has the exact same bunny! Thus begins an exciting, frustrating, and ultimately revelatory twenty-four hours of squabbling, teacher-enforced bunny “time-outs,” bedtime realizations, late-night phone calls, and a special middle-of-the-night encounter.
Anna Dewdney's Llama Llama Mad at Mama will be published September 6, 2007. The publisher is Penguin Group USA (Viking Juvenile). For those of you who know me, you know how excited the thought of a sequel to Llama Llama Red Pajama makes me!!!
Yucky music, great big feet.
Ladies smelling way too sweet.
Look at knees and stand in line.
Llama Llama starts to whine.
<> Does any child like to go shopping? Not Llama Llama! But Mama can’t leave Llama at home, so off they go to Shop-O-Rama. Lots of aisles. Long lines. Mama is too busy to notice that Llama Llama is getting m-a-d! And before he knows it, he’s having a full-out tantrum! Mama quickly calms him down, but she also realizes that they need to make shopping more fun for both of them. Parents and children are sure to recognize themselves in this fun-to-read follow-up to the popular Llama Llama Red Pajama.
Polly Dunbar's Penguin will be published June 12, 2007. The publisher is Candlewick. A quirky new tale from a rising talent — in which a bossy little boy receives a surprising comeuppance.When Ben rips open his present, he finds a penguin inside. "Hello, Penguin!" he says. "What shall we play?" But Penguin says nothing. Even when Ben tickles its belly, sings a funny song, does a dizzy dance, stands on his head, sticks out his tongue, and resorts to increasingly rude and drastic measures, Penguin makes no response. What will it take for Penguin to say something — or for Ben to understand what Penguin has to say? Fresh, spare illustrations bring whimsy to this wonderful tale, in which a silent Penguin turns marvelously eloquent and a little boy finally gets his heart’s desire.
Mem Fox's Where the Giant Sleeps will be published October 1, 2007. The publisher is Harcourt. Do ogres snore? Do pirates have blankies? Do fairies suck their thumbs? We may never know the answers to these questions. But if we're lucky--and very observant--we might be able to catch a glimpse of some fantastic creatures, all fast asleep. In soothing rhyme, bestselling author Mem Fox explores the sleeping habits of our favorite inhabitants from the world of fairy tales. Vladimir Radunsky fills a dreamy, picturesque landscape with surprising and fun details. Fairies, wizards, goblins, and even children all find peace under the same bright moon.
I just bought it and it's WONDERFUL. Beautifully, beautifully written.