Where the Wild Things Are or Bluestars Prophecy

Where the Wild Things Are

Author: Maurice Sendak

Max is sent to bed without supper and imagines sailing away to the land of Wild Things,where he is made king.

SLJ

Each word has been carefully chosen and the simplicity of the language is quite deceptive.

Children's Literature

Sendak presents an image of children not as sentimentalized little dears but as people coping with complex emotions such as anger, fear, frustration, wonder, and awareness of their own vulnerability. Max feels anger at his mother, acts out his aggression in a fantasy land as he becomes "king" of his wild and ungovernable forces, and returns hungry, sleepy, and peaceful to the real world, where his porridge is still hot. This is a well-earned and reassuring happy ending for all children wrestling with human nature's darker emotions. It is also available in Spanish.

Book review: Thanksgiving on Thursday or Fantastic Mr Fox

Bluestar's Prophecy (Warriors Super Edition)

Author: Erin Hunter

Destined for greatness . . .

Four Clans of wild cats have shared the forest for generations, thriving in their territories. But tensions are running high, and ThunderClan must assert its strength or risk falling prey to its power-hungry neighbors.

Into this time of uncertainty, a kit is born. A prophecy foretells that Bluekit will be as strong as fire, destined to blaze through the ranks of her Clan. But with this prophecy comes the foreshadowing of her destruction by the one enemy she cannot outrun.

As Bluekit gains power and eventually earns her leader name, Bluestar, she fights to protect her Clan. But secrets from the past threaten to surface—secrets that may destroy ThunderClan . . . and Bluestar.

Snoozers or How Do Dinosaurs Clean Their Rooms

Snoozers: 7 Short Short Bedtime Stories for Lively Little Kids

Author: Sandra Boynton

Serious silliness for all ages. Artist Sandra Boynton is back and better than ever with completely redrawn
versions of her multi-million selling board books. These whimsical and hilarious books, featuring
nontraditional texts and her famous animal characters, have been printed on thick board pages,
and are sure to educate and entertain children of all ages.

Look this: Biosecurity in the Global Age or Becoming Asian American

How Do Dinosaurs Clean Their Rooms?

Author: Jane Yolen

Come along for some BIG fun as your favorite dinosaurs learn to pick up and put away their toys. How do dinosaurs clean their rooms? With trash cans and dusters and brooms! Now Jane Yolen's playful, read-aloud text and Mark Teague's hilarious illustrations show your own little dinosaurs just how fun and easy it can be. Brimming with the same infectious humor as the other How Do Dinosaurs tales, this new board book is a perfect companion to the immensely popular picture books and a great baby gift as well.

Publishers Weekly

Favorite characters and titles are now available in board book editions. Dinos delight in acting like toddlers in original board books starring the prehistoric heroes first introduced in How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? by Jane Yolen, illus. by Mark Teague. Just right for smallest hands, How DoDinosaurs Count to Ten? encourages youngsters to practice their numbers from a tyrannosaurus rex clutching his "one tattered teddy bear" to an apatosaurus reading 10 books (Teague subtly labels each terrible lizard somewhere in the drawing). The scaly stars set a good example (sort of) in How Do Dinosaurs Clean Their Rooms? as a velociraptor slides pink pajamas behind the bathroom door, and an airborne tropeognathus drops its clothes into a hamper.

Marilyn Courtot - Children's Literature

My first inclination when I read this title was to say, "very carefully." Assuming that kids can accept the premise that dinosaurs live with a human family (Dinosaur Bob set the precedent), then this story will amuse them. First the dinosaurs try all the usual tricks when it comes to cleaning up—putting toys under the bed, stuffing them in the closet, putting dirty clothes back in the drawer with the clean ones to name a few. Then the dinosaurs contrast this misbehavior with good behavior. An euplocephalus dusts, a dilophosarus organizes his toys and a tropeognathus puts dirty clothes in a hamper. Mom and Dad are really proud and thank the little dinosaurs for doing such a great job. It is silly, but kids who love dinosaurs will have fun. In addition, they will learn the names of ten very different dinosaurs (if the reader can pronounce them all). This is a companion board book to How do Dinosaurs Count to Ten? which means young kids can learn twenty of these tongue-twisting dinosaur names. Teague has fun with the expressions, body positions and coloration of these huge and now extinct creatures. 2004, Blue Sky Press/Scholastic, Ages 1 to 3.

Listen to the Wind or Fancy Nancy

Listen to the Wind: The Story of Dr. Greg and Three Cups of Tea

Author: Greg Mortenson

Greg Mortenson stumbled, lost and delirious, into a remote Himalayan village after a failed climb up K2. The villagers saved his life, and he vowed to return and build them a school. The remarkable story of his promise kept is now perfect for reading aloud. Told in the voice of Korphe's children, this story illuminates the humanity and culture of a relevant and distant part of the world in gorgeous collage, while sharing a riveting example of how one person can change thousands of lives.

The New York Times - Krystyna Poray Goddu

Listen to the Wind tells Mortenson's story in the clear, succinct voices of the children of Korphe. Leaving out background and history, the picture-book version is nevertheless true to the spirit of Mortenson's experience and mission. The minimal text is splendidly paired with Susan L. Roth's textural, earth-toned collages, which evoke the roughness of the terrain and the primitive quality of life there.

Publishers Weekly

In 1993, while climbing one of the world's most difficult peaks, Mortenson became lost and ill, and eventually found aid in the tiny Pakistani village of Korphe. He vowed to repay his generous hosts by building a school; his efforts have grown into the Central Asia Institute, which has since provided education for 25,000 children. Retold for middle readers, the story remains inspirational and compelling. Solid pacing and the authors' skill at giving very personal identities to people of a different country, religion and culture help Mortenson deliver his message without sounding preachy; he encourages readers to put aside prejudice and politics, and to remember that the majority of people are good. An interview with Mortenson's 12-year-old daughter, who has traveled with her father to Pakistan, offers another accessible window onto this far-away and underlines Mortenson's sacrifice and courage. Illustrated throughout with b&w photos, it also contains two eight-page insets of color photos.

The picture book, while close in content to the longer books, is written in the voice of Korphe's children rather than providing Mortenson's view, making it easier for American kids to enter the story. Roth (Leon's Story) pairs the words with her signature mixed-media collage work, this time using scraps of cloth along with a variety of papers. Her work has a welcoming, tactile dimension-readers would want to touch the fabric headscarves, for example. A detailed scrapbook featuring photos from Three Cups of Tea and an artist's note firmly ground the book in fact. A portion of the authors' royalties will benefit the Central Asia Institute. (Jan.)

School Library Journal

K-Gr 4

Holding true to the original title for adults, Three Cups of Tea (Viking, 2006), this moving story will amaze and inspire young readers. After getting lost while climbing the world's second tallest mountain, the K2 in the Baltistan region of Pakistan, Mortenson, a nurse, stumbled into a small village and learned of the dire circumstances in which local people lived. While recovering, Dr. Greg met the children of Korphe, who were eager to learn but were forced to write their lessons with sticks on the ground. Wanting to do something special for the village, he was encouraged by wise man Haji Ali to "listen to the wind." Dr. Greg listened, heard the eager voices of students at their lessons, and promised to return to build a school. The remarkable account of this quest, which involved constructing a bridge and manually carrying supplies to the building site, is magnificently enhanced by Roth's colorful collages. As explained in an artist's note, she incorporated fabric, bits of paper, and other fibers into the scenery in appreciation of the Balti people's aesthetic use of scraps. "A Korphe Scrapbook" follows the story, displaying photographs of the events, the village's inhabitants, and the librarian who helped to fill this school and the 57 more schools that have since been built in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Readers are informed that it is easy to make a difference by donating pennies to support education in impoverished countries. This truly exceptional and moving title should not be missed.-Michele Shaw, Quail Run Elementary School, San Ramon, CA

Kirkus Reviews

In this distilled version of the inspirational adult bestseller-at least its first part-the children of a Pakistani mountain village describe in a collective voice how their lessons had been outside, written with sticks on the ground, until they sheltered a lost American stranger who returned later to build both a bridge and a school. Using a wide variety of patterned papers and fabrics, Roth creates collages crowded with color and detail, casting groups of smiling, dark-eyed villagers and their welcome guest against steep, stony mountains. Closing with a scrapbook of captioned color location photos and an artist's note, this makes an effective discussion-starter for new and prereaders about waging peace. For middle readers, the adult title is also available in a version adapted by Sarah Thomson (Three Cups of Tea, $16.99, 978-0-8037-3392-3), which sometimes takes a patronizing tone (Mortenson, commenting on his hate mail: "'I expected something like this from an ignorant village mullah . . . .'") but also features both an update and a long interview with Mortenson's 12-year-old activist daughter, Amira. (Picture book. 6-8)

Books about: Lonely Planet or River Town

Fancy Nancy: Tea Parties

Author: Jane OConnor

You're invited

Join in the fun with hostess extraordinaire Fancy Nancy! With a little imagination, you too can create an exquisite tea party that is perfect for your friends and family.

R.S.V.P. oui, oui, oui!

Brown Bear and Friends Board Book Gift Set or I Spy Christmas

Brown Bear and Friends Board Book Gift Set

Author: Bill Martin Jr

With more than 6.5 million copies sold in board book alone, Bill Martin Jr and Eric Carle’s classic Bear books have been a hit with young children for many generations. Now, for the first time, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?; Polar Bear, Polar Bear,What Do You Hear?; and Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See? are available together in a boxed board book gift set—perfect for every baby’s first library.

I Spy Christmas: A Book of Picture Riddles

Author: Jean Marzollo

This bestselling book features a collection of favorite I Spy riddles that send readers searching 12 photographs for hidden objects.

BookList

Similar in concept and format to "I Spy: A Book of Picture Riddles" , this features 13 scenes of Christmas. Short rhymes challenge kids to find a variety of small objects in the purposefully crowded pictures. Wick's full-color photographs fill the large, double-page spreads with seasonal scenes, such as an antique workbench covered with wooden toys, tools, and sawdust; a closet packed with skates, boots, mittens, scarves, and sleds; a kitchen table scattered with cookies, cutters, candy decorations, and gingerbread men; and an old- fashioned toy shop window. Crisp and clear, these striking photos will provide hours of holiday fun for young Waldo watchers.

Theres a Wocket in My Pocket or The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoners Dilemma

There's a Wocket in My Pocket!: Dr. Seuss's Book of Ridiculous Rhymes

Author: Dr Seuss

There's a Wocket in My Pocket is filled with bizarre creatures and rhymes: the nupboard in the cupboard, ghairs beneath the stairs, and the bofa on the sofa!  

The Mysterious Benedict Society and The Prisoner's Dilemma (Mysterious Benedict Society Series #3)

Author: Trenton Lee Stewart

IF YOU FAIL,
ALL IS
LOST.

Join the Mysterious Benedict Society as Reynie, Kate, Sticky, and Constance embark on a daring new adventure that threatens to force them apart from their families, friends, and even each other. When an unexplained blackout engulfs Stonetown, the foursome must unravel clues relating to a nefarious new plot, while their search for answers brings them closer to danger than ever before.

School Library Journal

Gr 5–8—Reynie, Kate, Constance, and Sticky return for a third adventure. This time, the megalomaniac Ledroptha Curtain schemes to regain his deadly Whisperer machine. As Constance develops her powers of mental telepathy, Reynie and the others use their gifted minds to puzzle through Curtain's master plan even as they fall prey to his kidnapping attempt. Imprisoned by well-meaning and sinister characters alike, the Society members face choices that test their loyalty as well as their intellect. Sequels sometimes lack the intensity of the original works, and Prisoner's Dilemma struggles with this syndrome at times. The children's unique talents, long since revealed, are past the startling sparkle of their introduction. As character development yields to a dominant plot, the story lacks the facile agility of its predecessors. On the other hand, the opening gambit is fresh and frightfully funny, as is Constance Contraire always and forever. The writing is replete with rollicking metaphors. Finally, as in the best of E. L. Konigsburg's novels, Stewart's introspective characters examine the significance of their experiences. Unlike most adventurers, these special children see the world surrounding their story and share it with readers. If this is the last Society installment, readers had better, as Reynie says, "acquire a taste for the bittersweet."—Caitlin Augusta, Stratford Library Association, CT

The Maze of Bones or Where the Wild Things Are

The Maze of Bones (The 39 Clues Series #1)

Author: Rick Riordan

Minutes before she died Grace Cahill changed her will, leaving her descendants an impossible decision: "You have a choice - one million dollars or a clue."

Grace is the last matriarch of the Cahills, the world's most powerful family. Everyone from Napoleon to Houdini is related to the Cahills, yet the source of the family power is lost. 39 Clues hidden around the world will reveal the family's secret, but no one has been able to assemble them. Now the clues race is on, and young Amy and Dan must decide what's important: hunting clues or uncovering what REALLY happened to their parents.

The 39 Clues is Scholastic's groundbreaking new series, spanning10 adrenaline-charged books, 355 trading cards, and an online game where readers play a part in the story and compete for over $100,000 in prizes.

The 39 Clues books set the story, and the cards, website and game allow kids to participate in it. Kids visit the website - www.the39clues.com - and discover they are lost members of the Cahill family. They set up online accounts where they can compete against other kids and against Cahill characters to find all 39 clues. Through the website, kids can track their points and clues, manage their card collections, dig through the Cahill archives for secrets, and "travel" the world to collect Cahill artifacts, interview characters, and hunt down clues. Collecting cards helps: Each card is a piece of evidence containing information on a Cahill, a clue, or a family secret.

Every kid is a winner - we'll give away prizes through the books, the website and the cards, including a grand prize of $10,000!

Publishers Weekly

Built around a ripe conceit-wealthy matriarch scatters cryptic clues to a mysterious fortune around the globe-this first installment in a projected 10-book series is tons of fun. Lead-off hitter Riordan (The Lightning Thief) mixes just the right proportions of suspense, peril and puzzles in a fast-paced read (Riordan mapped the narrative arc for all 10 volumes, but other high-profile authors will be writing for the series, too). Likable orphans Amy and Dan Cahill have moxie (plus Dan can memorize numbers instantly) and frailties (Amy hates crowds). As the siblings compete with less honorable members of the Cahill clan, all distantly related to Benjamin Franklin, to win the fortune by collecting all 39 clues (only two are found in this first book), they learn about their dead parents, each other and world history. The humor is spot on-one uncle is credited with inventing the microwave burrito. The only flaw? The story does not end so much as drop off a cliff. (The second book, One False Note by Gordon Korman, is set to arrive in December.) While waiting, readers can collect cards, each of which contains evidence, and play the online game (www.the39clues.com), for which Scholastic is offering over $100,000 in prizes. This ought to have as much appeal to parents as it does to kids-it's Webkinz without the stuffed animals, and a rollicking good read. Ages 9-12. (Sept.)

Children's Literature

This is the lead title of "The 39 Clues" series, which will have ten titles all by different authors, with a set of cards encased in each book, leading readers to the solution which is purported to be worth $100,000 in total prizes (although the grand prize is considerably smaller). Written in the breathless style of a Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys book, with no real character development or plot nuances, this will remind readers of Lemony Snicket but without the wonderful Baudelaire children. Amy and Dan Cahill (mother and father dead, house burned down, sounds familiar), part of the worldwide Cahill clan that includes every famous person who ever lived (yikes, David Icke and one-world-conspiracists in the fifth grade?) are chasing down clues left by their dead grandmother, Grace, to win an inestimable fortune and unbounded world power, and they are only 14 and 11 and are barely aided by their aupair, Nellie. There are six other teams of Cahill-clan baddies trying to do in the Amy-Dan team in competitive headlong pursuit of the 39 clues. The kids go bopping all over the globe, living on a loaf of bread here and a turkey sandwich there, with superpowers of survival when faced with dastardly villains trying to kill them with poison needles under the fingernails, fires, bombs, cement jackets, and more 007-esque adventures, in search of wealth, fame, and who knows what else? If you are a fan of Second Life, or an addicted gamer, this book experience may be the springboard to fun and adventure, but more than likely, it is going to cost you a fortune for the cards, which is the ultimate point of it all. The books are the delivery system to get the cards into the hands of kids, like Magic Cards,D&D, or other similar games. Librarians will have to take out the cards (or they will be gone in a heartbeat) before the book goes into circulation; however, there is a special library edition available (which this reviewer did not see), as well as audio and international editions (see the website, www.the39clues.com for details) . Rick Riordan's other fun-for-kids series, written with verve and humor, bear little resemblance to this title, which seems to have been written to specifications like an old Stratemeier syndicate title. This should come with a warning sticker: Beware the Ignominious Hustle. Reviewer: Gwynne Spencer

School Library Journal

Gr 4-7

When their beloved Aunt Grace dies, Dan, 11, and Amy, 14-along with other Cahill descendants-are faced with an unusual choice: inherit one million dollars or participate in a perilous treasure hunt. Cahills have determined the course of history for centuries, and this quest's outcome will bring the victors untoward power and affect all of humankind. Against the wishes of nasty Aunt Beatrice, their reluctant guardian since their parents' deaths, Dan and Amy accept the challenge, convincing their college-age au pair to serve as designated adult. Pitted against other Cahill teams, who will stop at nothing to win, the siblings decipher the first of 39 clues and are soon hot on the historical trail of family member Ben Franklin to unearth the next secret. Adeptly incorporating a genuine kids' perspective, the narrative unfolds like a boulder rolling downhill and keeps readers glued to the pages. As the siblings work together to solve puzzles and survive dangers, they develop into well-drawn individuals with their own strengths and personalities. Supporting Cahill cast members come across as intentionally exaggerated caricatures, adding to the tale's breathless fun. The book dazzles with suspense, plot twists, and snappy humor, but the real treasure may very well be the historical tidbits buried in the story. Part of a multimedia launch including a Web site, collectable game cards, and a 10-title series (penned by different authors), this novel stands solidly on its own feet and will satisfy while whetting appetites for more.-Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal

Kirkus Reviews

"Synergy" is the name of the game in Scholastic's post-Potter search for market share. Grace Cahill has died, and her orphaned grandchildren Amy, 14, and Dan, 11, are among the heirs offered a choice: They can accept one million and walk, or they can take the first clue in a worldwide scavenger hunt to find the secret that has made the extended Cahill family the most powerful family in world history. Every other heir is out to get Amy and Dan, Grace's supposed favorites, as they work their way through the puzzles in this first volume of a ten-book "multi-platform" series. Six trading cards come with each trade-edition copy, and more can be purchased separately. Cards can be entered on an accompanying website, where readers six to 14 can "enter the race" by playing mystery games. Each new volume, by such authors as Gordon Korman and Peter Lerangis, spawns a new contest with real cash prizes. Librarians should be careful to purchase card-free library editions to avoid circulation headaches. (Novelty/fiction. 9-14)

Where the Wild Things Are

Author: Maurice Sendak

Max is sent to bed without supper and imagines sailing away to the land of Wild Things,where he is made king.

SLJ

Each word has been carefully chosen and the simplicity of the language is quite deceptive.

Children's Literature

Sendak presents an image of children not as sentimentalized little dears but as people coping with complex emotions such as anger, fear, frustration, wonder, and awareness of their own vulnerability. Max feels anger at his mother, acts out his aggression in a fantasy land as he becomes "king" of his wild and ungovernable forces, and returns hungry, sleepy, and peaceful to the real world, where his porridge is still hot. This is a well-earned and reassuring happy ending for all children wrestling with human nature's darker emotions. It is also available in Spanish.