Children's Notes

Favorite characters make a triumphant return in these summer sequels. The Land of the Silver Apples by Nancy Farmer, second in a trilogy that began with The Sea of Trolls, revisits siblings Jack and Lucy. (In a starred review of the first book, PW wrote, “Fans of Viking and adventure tales will be up late nights to discover Jack's fate.”) Having survived the wrath of Ivar the Boneless and his evil wife, this installment finds the pair back home in their Saxon village. But when Lucy goes mad after a botched magic ceremony and is kidnapped again, Jack musters up all of his power to save his sister and his village. (Atheneum/Jackson, $18.99 512p ages 10-14 ISBN 978-1-4169-0735-0; Aug.)

Fourteen-year-old investigative journalists Steve Thomas and Susan Carol Anderson, previously seen in Last Shot and Vanishing Act, are back in John Feinstein's Cover-Up: Mystery at the Super Bowl. This time the duo trades the worlds of basketball and tennis for professional football as they try to expose a drug scandal. (Knopf, $16.99 304p ages 10-up ISBN 978-0-375-84247-4; Aug.)

Phineas L. MacGuire... Gets Slimed!, the second installment in the series by Frances O'Roark Dowell, illus. by Preston McDaniels, finds the scientifically-minded fourth-grader teaming up with his former nemesis to reproduce penicillin. But first Mac must help his friend Ben win the class presidency and figure out how to deal with his new babysitter. (Atheneum, $16.99 208p ages 8-12 ISBN 978-1-4169-0196-9; Aug.)

In Vendetta, the second installment in Chris Humphrey's Runestone Saga, Sky travels back in time to gather wisdom from his ancestors in order to challenge his grandfather. About the first book, The Fetch, PW wrote that the author “melds real and unreal elements to powerful effect.” (Knopf, $15.99 336p ages 12-up ISBN 978-0-375-83293-2; Aug.)

Having won back her throne in The Looking Glass Wars (called an “imaginative opener” by PW), Alyss is now faced with ruling Wonderland. But when the fearsome foot soldiers from her evil Aunt Redd's reign start appearing, Alyss must once again find the strength to do battle with the forces of darkness in Frank Beddor's Seeing Redd. (Dial, $17.99 384p ages 12-up ISBN 978-0-8037-3155-4; Aug.)

In a starred review PW called Bloodtide”a page-turner, a shocker and a resonant piece of writing.” Bloodsong by Melvin Burgess, the sequel, finds the Volson clan entirely decimated, except for 15-year-old Sigurd, son of King Sigmund. Armed only with a sword forged from the remnants of his father's knife from Odin, Sigurd must overcome suffering and terror to bring any shred of humanity back into his world. (Simon Pulse, $7.99 paper 384p ages 14-up ISBN 978-1-4169-3616-9; Aug.)

Knowledge-hungry kids will devour this summer's nonfiction offerings. For young anglers, Hook, Line, and Sinker: Everything Kids Want to Know About Fishing! by Italo Labignan, illus. by Jock MacRae, presents practical information ranging from advice on making lures to throwing a perfect cast and cleaning and scaling a fish. (Key Porter [PGW, dist.], $14.95 64p ages 4-8 ISBN 978-1-55263-549-0; July)

How Underwear Got Down There: A Brief History by Kathy Shaskan, illus. by Regan Dunnick, examines undergarments through the ages. Looking at factors such as protection, modesty, cleanliness, support and status, this book takes a private subject and opens it up for discussion, using humor and a wealth of facts. (Dutton, $16.99 48p ages 7-up ISBN 978-0-525-47178-3; July)

From the Spartans to the Samurai, from medieval knights to Zulu warriors, Warriors by James Harpur reveals the tools, techniques and tales behind these fearsome fighters. Colorful full-bleed spreads feature detailed illustrations and photographs, flaps, pop-ups, fold-out spreads and more, providing a remarkable primer to the world of warfare. (S&S/Atheneum, $21.99 32p ages 8-14 ISBN 978-1-4169-3951-1; July)

The Scary States of America by Michael Teitelbaum is a treasure trove of spooky Americana. Told from the perspective of Jason Specter, “an ordinary kid” who is “the official collector of all things weird and scary in the USA,” this book offers 50 shudder-inducing stories (theoretically) based on true events, one from each state. Whether reading about ghosts in California, inter-dimensional portals in Kentucky or UFOs in Washington, kids should haunt the pages of this collection. (Delacorte, $7.99 paper 416p ages 10-up ISBN 978-0-385-73331-1; July)

Adapted from a book first issued in 1792, The Old Farmer's Almanac for Kids, Volume 2 offers up-to-date information on the subjects dealt with in the original Old Farmer's Almanac, including astronomy, farming, the weather and more. Kids can read up on everything from the origin of April Fool's Day to the history of ice cream. (Yankee Publishing [Houghton, dist.], $9.95 paper 192p ages 9-12 ISBN 978-1-57198-434-0; Aug.)

Animal enthusiasts should enjoy this latest litter. Before kids test their new-found fishing skills against the predators of the sea, they might want to check out Stephen Savage's Inside Access: Sharks. This guide includes information about shark anatomy, how they breathe, what they eat, where they live, how they're born and how scientists study these magnificent but deadly animals. A glossary of shark terms and an index make for easy research. (Kingfisher, $9.95 32p ages 6-10 ISBN 978-0-7534-6064-1; July)

Buzz, an encyclopedic volume on all things with exoskeletons, offers kids a chance to learn about the creepy crawlies that inhabit their backyards. From arthropod anatomy to edible bug recipes, this book not only provides kids with loads of information but includes games, quizzes and stunning photography. (DK, $19.99 140p ages 7-up ISBN 978-0-7566-2912-0; Aug.)

Catopia: A Cat Compendium by Caroline Repchuk, illus. by Anne Mortimer, is a must-have for serious feline fans. With liftable flaps on nearly every page, this book offers details about how cats grow up, differences between breeds, feline folklore, cats in art and literature and more. Bookplates, a bookmark, a frame and magnet are included. (HarperCollins, $19.99 24p ages 8-12 ISBN 978-0-06-124004-1; July)

The Palace of LaughterJon Berkeley, illus. by Brandon Dorman. HarperTrophy/Andrews $7.99 ISBN 978-0-06-075509-6. The first installment of The Wednesday Tales series finds 10-year-old Miles befriending Little, an angel held captive by a circus. “Berkeley weaves painterly details into his depiction of this night-shaded Big Top world, where danger can be imagined around every corner. But he also injects an ample measure of humor to keep the darkness at bay,” wrote PW. Ages 8-12. (Aug.)

Here Be Monsters! Alan Snow. S&S/Aladdin, $8.99 ISBN 978-0-689-87048-4. In this first volume in The Ratbridge Chronicles, young Arthur enters the town of Ratbridge to scrounge for food but quickly finds himself trapped by the machinations of the villainous Snatcher. In a starred review of Snow's “imaginative debut novel,” PW said it was “stuffed to the gills with British oddities” and “as sprawling as it is silly.” Ages 8-14. (Aug.)

Lush Natasha Friend. Scholastic, $6.99 ISBN 978-0-439-85347-7. Sam must deal with her father's alcoholism as well as an often-cruel school environment in what PW called an “intense, touching problem novel.” Ages12-up. (Aug.)

I Don't Want to Be Crazy Samantha Schutz. Scholastic/PUSH, $7.99 ISBN 978-0-439-80519-3. Written in verse, Schutz's memoir reveals her struggles with depression and anxiety after leaving home for college. Ages 12-up. (Aug.)