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Picture Books

OK GoCarin Berger. Greenwillow, $17.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-06-157666-9

Not to be confused with the rock band of the same name, Berger's (The Little Yellow Leaf) latest is visually and verbally raucous even as its environmental message is (comparatively) subtle. “GO!” shouts the opening text, as peapod-shaped vehicles sputter and race across the page. They are helmed by a diverse cast of collaged birdlike citizens, animals (and even flowers). Buttons, disks and magazine clippings serving as heads, wheels and outlandish apparel. The pages grow increasingly crowded with vehicles as well as with the word “go,” creating a frenetic rush-hour vibe. A gray spread of smoggy clouds and a big “Uh-oh!” reveals the price of all the traffic, and a lone figure yells “Stop!” into a megaphone on the following page. The cars “screech!” to a halt, and a final foldout spread reveals green alternatives—dozens of the figures march, bike and skateboard against a sage-green backdrop, along with cheeky environmental suggestions (“Use your feet, Pete,” “Conserve, Merve”). The detailed scenes and wackily endearing characters (made from recycled materials, natch) invite poring over. Ages 2—5. (May)

Three Little Kittens and Other Favorite Nursery RhymesTony Ross. Holt, $16.95 (96p) ISBN 978-0-8050-8885-4

In this British import, Ross (Cottonball Colin) brings his signature wit to 49 classic nursery rhymes. Though Ross generally offers straightforward depictions of the verses' content, expressive characters and playful flourishes abound. The three little kittens' missing mittens reappear on their ears; a cat and mouse steal away with armfuls of bones while Old Mother Hubbard and her dog gaze into an empty cupboard; and the “little piggy” who “had none” jogs on a treadmill while a not-so-little piggy digs into a slab of roast beef. But Ross doesn't shy from the darker sides of certain poems: while some citizens dance to “Ring Around the Rosy,” others are ominously lying on the ground, as a figure wearing a plague mask looks on. And in “Sing a Song of Sixpence,” a blackbird—with a human nose in its beak—is chased by a maid who very clearly needs it back. Still, most of the rhymes have happy outcomes, and the book's large trim size and typeface, as well as the many kid-appealing details throughout, make it a fine story-time pick. Ages 2—6. (Apr.)

Today Is the Birthday of the WorldLinda Heller, illus. by Alison Jay. Dutton, $16.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-525-47905-5

Creatures large and small—from a bee to an elephant—“pass before God” in this picture book with gentle ecological and moral overtones. One by one, God questions each animal about its actions during the previous year. To the giraffe, “Did you eat the highest leaves on the tree,/ Happy that I'd chosen you to make a path for the sun?”; to the cow, “Did you give your milk each day,/ Happy that I'd chosen you to feed so many children?” Extra spreads are devoted to a child who plants seeds, creates a painting, shares toys and plays (“This year, little child, my dear little child,/ Were you the best little child that you could be?” God asks). Heller's (The Castle on Hester Street) repeating form lends the soothing tone of a lullaby, well-matched by Jay's (Welcome to the Zoo!) bucolic scenes, their crackled surfaces playing up the feeling that animals have carried out their respective duties over the course of ages. Readers will be left feeling connected to the larger world, as one of the “dear little helpers” God praises. Ages 3—5. (Apr.)

City I LoveLee Bennett Hopkins, illus. by Marcellus Hall. Abrams, $16.95 (32p) ISBN 978-0-8109-8327-4

This joyful poetry collection celebrating urban life combines Hopkins's (Behind the Museum Door) affectionate odes (a mix of previously published and new poems) with Hall's (Because You Are My Baby) engaging watercolors, which widen the book's perspective by presenting images of famous cities all over the world. The captivating visual story line features an appealing, insouciant brown dog who travels the world with his backpack and a bluebird. Whether trudging through waist-deep snow in Moscow or riding on a crowded subway in Mexico City, both characters model the reader's wonder at the variety of costumes, music, people and sights found across the globe. Hopkins's reflective and sometimes humorous poems move through diverse aspects of life in the city—from skyscrapers (workers “balance on beams/ dangle on derricks/ glide on girders/ sway on concrete slabs”) and crowded streets to negotiating the weather (“You stand/ on a corner/ shouting:/ 'Taxi!'/ 'Taxi!'/ knowing/ deep/ inside/ taxi cabs/ never/ stop/ on/ rainy/ days”). Hopkins grounds the book with heartwarming particularities while Hall's lively paintings conjure a world that should intrigue young travelers. Ages 4—8. (Apr.)

Chicken and Cat Clean UpSara Varon. Scholastic Press, $16.99 (48p) ISBN 978-0-439-63408-3

In this second wordless tale about this duo, Chicken recruits Cat to help with his housecleaning business, but Cat doesn't do so well. He breaks a glass, overdoes the laundry detergent, knocks over a bucket of water and takes a bite out of a houseplant—in front of the homeowner. As he sits glumly on the front stoop, Cat's talents are made evident when he foils a mouse-on-ladybug purse snatching, earning the praise of the neighborhood and making the front page of the Daily News. (“Cat Saves the Day!” shouts the headline. “ 'The best,' says pal,” continues the subhead.) Varon's sensitivity for the feelings of her characters—expertly projected through their gangly limbs and expressive googly eyes—gives the story depth, while the full-bleed spreads and panels jump from the page like movie stills. The tension between Chicken's brisk efficiency and Cat's well-intentioned but flawed efforts is not unlike that between assertive parents and distractible children; young readers will see themselves in the pet-loving dreamer, Cat, and revel in his moment of triumph. Ages 4—8. (Mar.)

No!David McPhail. Roaring Brook, $16.95 (48p) ISBN 978-1-59643-288-8

In this dark, nearly wordless allegory, the power of a single word ripples outward, stopping a bully, an army, a war. As a small boy walks along a row of houses, a squadron of warplanes bombs buildings in the distance, a tank blows up one house and soldiers force their way into another, terrifying a family. The boy continues down the street, off to mail a letter (the final spread reveals its contents: “Dear President, At my school we have rules. NO pushing NO punching. Do you have any rules?”). But when an older boy threatens him, the boy's sense of justice crystallizes in an instant, and he yells, “NO!” His act of resistance sparks immediate change: the bully has a change of heart, soldiers bring the family presents and a bicycle for the boy and the bully parachutes down from one of the bombers. McPhail's (When Sheep Sleep) delicately tinted crosshatching gives poignancy to the violence the boy witnesses without minimizing it. The idea of taking effective action without fighting is a powerful one, and children and adults alike will find that McPhail's images linger. Ages 4—8. (Mar.)

LeafStephen Michael King. Roaring Brook/Porter, $14.95 (60p) ISBN 978-1-59643-503-2

Certain boys may be used to hearing that their hair is so long that something is bound to start growing in it, and Australian artist King (A Special Kind of Love) imagines just such a scenario in this sprightly, wordless story. In a rapid-fire series of spindly pen-and-ink drawings, King records the boy's attempts to preserve the seedling that has sprouted on top of his head and his jubilant frolicking with his similarly eager dog. In one scene, the boy falls asleep and has a series of seedling-threatening nightmares involving a giant caterpillar and rogue hedge-clippers. Even when fate and scissors catch up with the boy, King supplies a quietly satisfying outcome. Ample action and sound effects (an outdoor faucet goes “glurg glug” and the sopping dog shakes himself off with a “flapper flapper flap”) ensure that read-aloud won't suffer from the lack of dialogue. The small format and serene watercolors add to the story's charm. More crucially, the central theme—nurturing one's gifts in the face of adversity—will not be lost on the audience. Ages 4—up. (Mar.)

The Fantastic Undersea Life of Jacques CousteauDan Yaccarino. Knopf, $16.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-375-85573-3

Yaccarino (Every Friday) dives into more complex material than many of his previous books for younger readers with this captivating biography. “Weak and sickly” as a boy, Cousteau turned to the Mediterranean (and to tinkering) in his youth, but his life changes forever when a friend gives him a pair of goggles. (“Man has only to sink beneath the surface and he is free,” says the oceanographer—his exuberant quotes lend the story a bubbly energy.) Cousteau makes his own diving equipment—the Aqua-Lung, a cover for his camera, undersea lighting—eventually equipping his own research vessel and sharing the world's oceans through his many films and books. Yaccarino's retro-style spreads—smoky blues and violets contrasting with vibrant reds and golds—are nicely suited to Cousteau's underwater playground; the fuzzy quality of his airbrushing makes it seem as though readers are submerged themselves. Yaccarino's somewhat abstracted forms won't satisfy children who want photo-real views of sea life, but the author's enthusiasm for Cousteau, as well as the majesty and mystery of the sea, is apparent on every page. Ages 6—9. (Mar.)

Fiction

Calvin Coconut: Trouble MagnetGraham Salisbury, illus. by Jacqueline Rogers. Random/Lamb, $12.99 (160p) ISBN 978-0-385-73701-2

Salisbury (Night of the Howling Dogs) brings the Hawaiian locale and boy-centric vibe of his novels to a younger audience in this kicky start to a middle-grade series. For four years, Cal has been “the man of the house,” standing in for his absentee dad, the famous crooner Little Johnny Coconut (who saddled the family with its stage-ready surname). But things get topsy-turvy when a surly teenage family friend arrives to be a live-in babysitter for Cal and his little sister, and Cal makes some missteps in the first days of school in Mr. Purdy's Fourth-Grade Boot Camp, which include a lost centipede and a class food fight. Salisbury uses humor and lots of action to guide Cal as he deals with a neighborhood bully, his new teacher and the upheaval in his home life. Fun details of Hawaiian life, including descriptions of snack foods, beach pursuits and the characters' melting pot of heritages bring the setting to life. The tone is realistic, warm and light as an island breeze—perfect for luring newly confident chapter-book readers. Ages 7—10. (Mar.)

Top of the OrderJohn Coy. Feiwel and Friends, $16.99 (96p) ISBN 978-0-312-37329-0

Coy (Box Out) brings his successful combination of relatable characters and sports action to his middle-grade debut. Jackson Kennedy, the affable fifth-grade narrator, lives for baseball. Playing shortstop for his school team helps take the sting off his troubles at home and school: divorced parents, a newly dating mom and middle-school worries about eighth-graders who “make you drink a Coke so fast, you hurl in the garbage can.” Jackson and his team have high hopes for the coming season until Sydney—his best friend Gig's sister—shows up to play second base (with her pink glove, no less). Jackson mentally wrestles with this as most boys his age would: she's a good player and the team needs her, but she's still a girl. Coy does a good job keeping his story grounded in the concerns that kids this age would have, and his characters—such as Gig, the goofball whose dad is about to be shipped to Afghanistan, and G-Man, Jackson's baseball-loving grandpa—are appealing and true to life. Young baseball fans will enjoy the infield banter, Gig's corn-dogs-up-the-nose antics and the grand slam ending. Ages 8—12. (Mar.)

The Brooklyn NineAlan Gratz. Dial, $16.99 (320p) ISBN 978-0-8037-3224-7

The love of baseball links nine generations of the Schneider/Snider/Flint family in this story collection that tracks the national pastime from the 1840s to the present day. It's an ambitious work of research, weaving authentic details about the evolution of the sport into stories about nine fictional young people with baseball in their DNA. Louis Schneider carries his father's treasured souvenir baseball into battle during the Civil War (Abner Doubleday makes a cameo), trading it for an original Louisville Slugger from a wounded rebel. The bat then plays a role in his son's misplaced worship of a fading legend. Another descendant has his illusions shattered when the hometown team is unmasked as racist. Girls are represented, too: one leaves Brooklyn to play for the Grand Rapids Chicks during World War II. These are not sports stories so much as historical fiction built around a theme, and though billed as a “novel in nine innings,” there's no real narrative tension pulling the reader forward. But baseball fans will find satisfying glimpses of the game as it has been played in its various incarnations. Ages 8—12. (Mar.)

The Problem with the PuddlesKate Feiffer, illus. by Tricia Tusa. S&S/Wiseman, $16.99 (208p) ISBN 978-1-4169-4961-9

This capricious novel marks Feiffer's (President Pennybaker) move into middle-grade fiction, in a story about a family that, for some reason, attracts clouds (“It was as if the cloud suddenly forgot it was heading to a hurricane in Florida or an important blizzard in Canada”). Additionally, the Puddle parents disagree on everything: one of their children is called Baby because they couldn't choose a name. And since the couple squabbled over a breed, the Puddles have two dogs—both named Sally. Alternating between the perspectives of the two- and four-legged family members, the story reveals what happens when the Puddles inadvertently leave “the Sallys” behind at the end of a long vacation in the country. The kid-friendly humor (“Just like meat loaf is like a loaf of meat, a conundrum is like a drum of conun,” one of the Sallys “explains,” as the dogs consider what to do), the full cast of eccentric characters and Tusa's (Fred Stays with Me!) lively b&w spot art should readily win fans for the Puddle family. Ages 8—12. (Feb.)

The Amaranth EnchantmentJulie Berry. Bloomsbury, $16.99 (306p) ISBN 978-1-59990-334-7

Berry's enticing debut novel teems with romance, danger and suspense. Lucinda, a 15-year-old orphan, leads a miserable existence as a servant until she gains possession of an unusual stone belonging to Beryl, a reputed witch. As luck would have it, the gem is stolen and sold to a prince before Lucinda even realizes it is gone. Most of the plot centers on Lucinda's adventures trying to retrieve the stone from the prince, with whom she predictably falls in love. Fantasy buffs will delight in the author's playful use of fairy tale conventions—unlike Cinderella, Lucinda has the good sense to retrieve her lost slipper after attending a ball (“I considered leaving it there, but one footfall in my stocking feet on the cold granite changed my mind”). But the book's main appeal comes from the revelations of many secrets and unexpected twists, including the truth about Beryl. Lucinda has to work harder than most such heroines to acquire her happily-ever-after ending, but her efforts eventually pay off, while leaving readers with enough unanswered questions to set imaginations spinning. Ages 10—14. (Mar.)

Just One WishJanette Rallison. Putnam, $15.99 (272p) ISBN 978-0-399-24618-0

Annika would do anything for her younger brother, who has cancer. So when he wishes for a visit from TV star Teen Robin Hood, feisty Annika drives from her Nevada hometown to Los Angeles to make his wish come true. The best moments are the silly ones, such as when Annika and her friend masquerade as animal wranglers to sneak onto the set. But these contrast perhaps too starkly with the sad, sometimes oversentimental passages as Annika deals with her younger brother's mortality. (She asks Steve Raleigh, the actor who plays Robin Hood, “Why can't life turn out like it does on your show—neatly and with the good guys always winning at the end?”) Readers will find much of the plotting predictable, as Annika not only persuades Steve to grant her brother's wish, but falls for the heartthrob in the process. The thoughtful ending, if out of step with the story's more madcap elements, is still moving. Ages 12—up. (Mar.)

EternalCynthia Leitich Smith. Candlewick, $17.99 (320p) ISBN 978-0-7636-3573-2

Smith's latest revisits the dark alternate world of Tantalize (2007) with a new set of characters. Despite the efforts of Zachary, her guardian angel, Dallas teenager Miranda joins the ranks of the undead as an “eternal” (vampire), courtesy of the current Dracula, their aristocratic ruler. A year passes, and as Dracula's pursuit of power begins to affect his sanity, Miranda struggles to acclimate to her new regal life in Dracula's castle (in Chicago). Meanwhile, Zachary has been cast from heaven for revealing his angelic nature while trying to save Miranda, so he poses as a human—and Miranda's personal assistant—trying to save her. Smith balances the story's bloody details with frequent touches of humor (when Zachary is taken aback by Miranda's enormous SUV, she replies, “We're eternals.... We are evil. We are not fuel efficient”). The confessional style, alternating between Miranda and Zachary's points of view, is intriguing as a diary—readers should be hooked by this fully formed world, up through the action-packed finale. Ages 14—up. (Feb.)

The Green Scene

With environmental consciousness ever on the rise, here is a selection of eco-minded titles for kids of all ages.

What Do You See?Stephen Krensky, illus. by Amy Schimler. S&S/Little Simon, $6.99 (16p) ISBN 978-1-4169-7123-8

Animals offer clues to their identities in this book, made from 100% recycled materials: “My pointed horn is hard to miss... and makes it hard for me to kiss! What can I be? What do you see?” Lifting the flap reveals a rhinoceros hiding behind a rock. While the subdued color palette and modish illustrations have appeal, the images themselves may be too muted for readers to become fully engaged. Ages 2—5. (May)

Choose to Reuse Illus. by Miriam Latimer. Piggy Toes, $7.95 (10p) ISBN 978-1-5811-7869-2

Trash turns to treasure in a simple book with die-cuts and textures. Cartoon kids enthusiastically reinvent discarded objects: a corrugated cardboard box that Max thought was trash is a “Princess palace” to Grace; Grace's “old, blue towel” (also textured) is turned into a “Superhero cape”; and bottle caps become a shiny art project. It's a colorful, kid-only world, and the kinetic energy provides an effective early lesson on the importance of not wasting. Ages 2—up. (Mar.)

We Are Extremely Very Good RecyclersLauren Child. Dial, $16.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-8037-3335-0

Familiar faces impart a message of conservation, as Charlie and Lola learn the basics of recycling. When Lola declares that she is “throwing everything away,” to avoid being messy, Charlie suggests she recycle (“because if we throw everything away, then we will all be completely buried under a massive, huge pile of garbage”). The duo creates a “tree counter,” adding new leaves to the branches every time they recycle, and works toward the goal of planting a real tree. Ages 3—5. (Mar.)

One TreeLeslie Bockol, illus. by Jillian Phillips. Innovative Kids, $6.99 (20p) ISBN 978-1-58476-811-1

Part of the Green Start series, this sturdy, playful book carries a gentle environmental message. A single tree in a meadow is a busy ecosystem of birds, bugs and squirrels. As seasons change and seeds sprout, another tree grows. Information about the importance of trees will likely be lost on youngest readers (“Deforestation—the destruction of Earth's forests—is a serious threat”), but the friendly faces and stitchlike patterns are appealing. In the Garden, Baby Animals and The Five Senses are also available. Ages 3—6. (Apr.)

Love Your WorldDawn Sirett, photos by Howard Shooter and Dave King. DK, $8.99 (18p) ISBN 978-0-7566-4590-8

Using bright photographs, this cheery book teaches ways to be green as kids demonstrate planting seeds, recycling, reusing and reducing (a curly-haired girl bares her teeth as the text assures, “we won't keep the faucet running while we brush our teeth”). Cartoon illustrations lend touches of whimsy, and a checklist of promises includes “Love my world,” and “Never drop litter.” A “Super Green Star Award” seals the deal. Ages 4—8. (Apr.)

The Barefoot Book of Earth TalesDawn Casey, illus. by Anne Wilson. Barefoot, $19.99 (96p) ISBN 978-1-84686-224-3

The stories in this cross-cultural collection emphasize ecological awareness. The text-heavy pages are lightened by vivid illustrations and spot art representing the stories' cultures of origin (an Australian story is illustrated with aboriginal motifs). In keeping with the environmental message, readers are encouraged to create projects offered after each story: instructions to “Make a pinecone birdfeeder” follow a Kazakh tale about freeing captive birds. While the connection between the projects and the stories might feel tenuous, the proactive component is refreshing. Ages 4—10. (Apr.)

Just Grace Goes GreenCharise Mericle Harper. Houghton, $15 (192p) ISBN 978-0-6189-5957-0

Just Grace returns in her fourth outing, which features an environmental theme. When her class begins a unit on “Going Green,” (according to Grace, this does not mean “studying frogs” or “dressing up as Irish leprechauns”), Grace's take-charge attitude and “empathy powers” gain momentum, and she becomes a “superhero of conservation.” Practical information is sprinkled throughout (Grace learns that conservation can also mean holding onto what's important). Sure to please Grace's fans. Ages 6—10. (Feb.)

Planet AnimalBarbara Taylor. Barron's, $22.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-7641-6205-3

This interactive, oversize book pairs information about endangered species and their habitats with attention-grabbing details. Accompanying full-color photographs are panels, tabs and removable cards that enliven animal descriptions (“gharials have long, pointy snouts packed with teeth”) along with reasons that each is endangered. In the “Saving the turtles” section, lifting an image of a sea turtle reveals panels about their birthing habits. For all the showy visuals, the stark message is resounding: “Can you imagine a world without gorillas, tigers, and polar bears?” Ages 8—up. (May)

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