Children's Books

Mar 15, 2010

 

Picture Books

How You Got So Smart David Milgrim. Putnam, $16.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-399-25260-0

Milgrim's (Best Baby Ever) breezy yet tender celebration of childhood achievements opens with a nod to its gift-book potential: a diploma proclaims, “You've made us all proud/ By who you've become,/ And we'd like to review/ How you did what you've done.” The focus on the hows rather than the whats of accomplishments broadens the book's relevance. While the lilting verse supplies general observations (“You wandered and wondered./ You loved to explore./ For every answer you got,/ you had three questions more”), buoyant, digital cartoons—supplemented by lighthearted speech balloons—furnish examples. Accompanying a shoutout for trying new things is a picture of the cheerful boy being served a squidlike creature as his mother insists, “It tastes like chicken!” In an endearing scenario, he goes fishing with his grandfather (“You had many teachers./ You learned from them well”), and when things aren't going so well, he takes out his aggressions on an inflatable toy. Amusing recurring graphics include frosted doughnuts—a favorite of the family dog—and a colander that serves as a helmet. It's an uplifting look at the dividends childhood curiosity can pay. Ages 1—up. (May)

The Gentleman Bug Julian Hector. S&S/Atheneum, $16.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-4169-9467-1

Thoughtful, scholarly Gentleman Bug and his colleagues inhabit the Garden, an Edwardian town, and it's the contrast between the multilegged creatures and their period costumes that supplies the book's quiet humor. (The Garden is laid out on a map on the endpapers, labeled with locations like Bugadilly Circus and Pollen Hill.) The Gentleman Bug, a teacher of juvenile bugs, falls for Lady Bug; in a sort of anti-Cinderella scene, he appears at a ball in a dapper suit and top hat to impress her. “The rest of the evening didn't go quite as planned,” Hector (The Little Matador) writes as the bug collides with a waiter. Lady Bug is a librarian, it turns out, and their mutual love of reading draws them together in the end. The fact that the romance unfolds in public reduces the mush factor, and even smaller children will sympathize: “Safe at home, he tried to forget about the Lady Bug, but it was a very hard thing to do.” The combination of an elaborately imagined community and a pared-down plot and text makes this a fine choice for the very young. Ages 2—5. (Apr.)

The Sandwich Swap Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah with Kelly DiPucchio, illus. by Tricia Tusa. Disney-Hyperion, $16.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-4231-2484-9

In her author's note, Jordanian royal Al Abdullah explains that an incident from her childhood inspired this story about best friends who do everything together at school, including eat lunch. Lily's choice of sandwich is peanut butter and jelly while Salma's is hummus on pita, and each girl thinks the other's fare is “weird” or “gross.” When Lily finally vocalizes her opinion, the two exchange heated words, leading schoolmates to take sides and toss out nastier insults (“You look funny! You dress dumb!”), eventually escalating into a messy, cafeteria-wide food fight. Message trumps realism: the speed with which the girls make peace—after sampling one another's sandwiches—is as unlikely as the food fight itself. A foldout spread amplifies the readily apparent themes of acceptance and sharing, as the girls and their classmates enjoy a buffet of international foods. Featuring pastel hues, Tusa's (Fred Stays with Me!) wispy mixed-media artwork assuredly depicts the bond between the protagonists and adds dollops of humor—such as the food that gets wedged into the stern lunch lady's bouffant—to this well-intentioned if predictable story. Ages 3—7. (Apr.)

Good-bye, Sheepie Robert Burleigh, illus. by Peter Catalanotto. Marshall Cavendish, $16.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-7614-5598-1

A story about the death of a dog can't be anything but heartrending, and Burleigh (One Giant Leap) looks at grief without blinking. “Owen's best friend was his dog, Sheepie,” he starts, preparing readers for Sheepie's death right away by describing how much the dog has slowed down. But it's still a shock when Owen finds Sheepie lying unmoving under a tree. Despite his father's well-chosen words—“Poor Sheepie. He was hurting. We knew he couldn't live forever”—readers' hearts will sink along with Owen's as the boy watches his father dig a hole. Catalanotto's (Sleepsong) watercolor and gouache paintings watch the action from reassuring angles: from behind Owen as he discovers Sheepie's body, and over Owen's father's shoulder as he tells Owen, “...he'll stay with us, in a way. He'll become part of our happy memories.” Burleigh unspools the story at just the right speed, and Owen's father offers love, support, and a vision of death as not quite a final end. Those who have lost a beloved pet will know how Owen feels, and many may cry with him. Ages 3—7. (Apr.)

Diamond Jim Dandy and the Sheriff Sarah Burell, illus. by Bryan Langdo. Sterling, $14.95 (32p) ISBN 978-1-4027-5737-2

“Nothing exciting ever happened in Dustpan, Texas,” opens this folksy tale by newcomer Burell. Things are so dull that “kids drifted off in school and drooled all over their books” and the idle sheriff baby-sits to pass the time. When a smiling rattlesnake slithers into town, the sheriff concedes that it seems like “a neighborly sort of snake,” yet announces, “you're not welcome here, pardner.” Paying no heed, the reptile proceeds to entertain the residents, performing tricks and playing with the kids. Annoyed to be proved wrong, the sheriff is ready to escort the snake out of town when he realizes that Ida Mae, the young'un he was babysitting, has disappeared. It comes as no surprise that the snake saves the baby, who's perched perilously on the edge of Deadman's Gulch. Langdo's (Pastry School in Paris) chipper, homespun cartoons bring additional comedic dimension—particularly enjoyable are scenes of Ida Mae scribbling away on “Wanted” posters and of the snake giving babies a snakeyback ride. The sheriff is never very convincing as a gruff hard-liner, nor is his conversion ever in doubt. Ages 4—7. (Apr.)

Magnus Maximus, a Marvelous Measurer Kathleen T. Pelley, illus. by S.D. Schindler. Farrar, Straus & Giroux, $16.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-374-34725-3

The alliterative title gives a taste of all the verbal frolicking to follow in Pelley's (Inventor McGregor) whimsical tale of an obsessive measurer named Magnus Maximus. When a circus lion walks into town, “People screamed and scrambled up lampposts. They skittered and scattered. They flitted and fluttered in a terrible dither.” But not the elderly Magnus, who earns the title of “town's official measurer,” after he stuns the lion into submission by measuring the width of its whiskers and fleas in its mane. A gentle lesson awaits the ultrafocused Magnus when a boy befriends him and teaches him that even more important than measuring the “floppiest ears” or the “stinkiest socks” is the “snugness of a hand in a hand.” Though sweet, the turn of events is not treacly, keeping the tale's pleasing silliness at the forefront. With equal humor, Schindler's (Cat Dreams) muted, intricately crosshatched illustrations depict a formal, British 19th-century setting, with corseted ladies and men in top hats—the perfect foil to the ludicrous scenes. The comically pained expression of the lion, his whiskers stretched out to measure, is priceless. Ages 4—8. (Apr.)

That Cat Can't Stay Thad Krasnesky, illus. by David Parkins. Flashlight (IPG, dist.), $16.95 (32p) ISBN 978-0-9799746-5-6

In this light comedy, the creators of I Always, ALWAYS Get My Way again spotlight family dynamics. Energetic rhymed couplets relay how Mom and kids repeatedly bring home stray cats, driving Dad crazy. With each new arrival, he launches into a chorus of reasons why he doesn't like cats (“They scratch my knees./ They carry fleas./ They make me sneeze./ They're always getting stuck in trees”) and decrees that the stray must go. After tactically agreeing with her husband, manipulative Mom describes what dreadful fate will befall the feline if they don't take it in, and Dad reluctantly relents, still insisting, futilely, “that cat can't stay.” Parkins's high-spirited cartoons depict animals and humans with amusingly exaggerated facial expressions, especially the exasperated father who, with his multiple tantrums and ever-present shorts and sneakers, far more resembles an overgrown toddler than a patriarch. While the verse veers into doggerel territory in its bounciness (“I see you do not want this pet/ though he might get completely wet”), the buffoonlike father's antics should prove kid-pleasing. Ages 4—8. (Apr.)

Emma's Poem: The Voice of the Statue of Liberty Linda Glaser, illus. by Claire A. Nivola. Houghton Mifflin, $16 (32p) ISBN 978-0-547-17184-5

Emma Lazarus (1849—1887) was a child of privilege. But her dedication to the impoverished refugees who shared her Jewish faith transcended the conventions of class and gender (“At that time in the 1880s people believed that a fine lady like Emma should not mingle with poor people”), and inspired her to create the poem found on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. Her now familiar words—“Give me your tired, your poor”—transformed it from its original intent, as a gift of friendship from France, into a symbol, a promise of hope and refuge for immigrants. Glaser's (Hoppy Hanukkah!) concise narration, reminiscent of blank verse, may feel a little chilly at first glance, but her authorial restraint actually helps readers make a more direct connection to the still-radical spirit behind the poem's ornate, distancing language. Nivola (Planting the Trees of Kenya), however, may be a little too close to Glaser's aesthetic to make this book wholly satisfying. The flattened perspectives and tidy delicacy of her watercolor and gouache paintings tend to dampen the story's emotional urgency. Ages 5—8. (Apr.)

Goal! Mina Javaherbin, illus. by A.G. Ford. Candlewick, $16.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-7636-4571-7

In her debut picture book, Javaherbin crisply relays a simple story that should strike a chord with a wide range of readers. In a barren South African village, Ajani calls for his friends to come out to play soccer. The boy carries the pristine federation-size ball (which he won for being the best reader in class) in a dented pail he'll later use to fetch water. Ford's (Barack) dramatically lit oil paintings convey Ajani's excitement and pride about his new acquisition (“We are real champions, playing with a real ball”). He and his friends are also wary of bullies who roam the streets, and one boy stands guard on a rooftop. When the mean boys arrive, Ajani surreptitiously kicks the soccer ball into the overturned bucket and the oblivious bullies instead steal an old plastic ball nearby, barking, “No playing soccer here or you'll be sorry.” While the level of danger—and deprivation—these boys face may be unfamiliar to many American readers, the quick-moving soccer action, tension, and triumph over the common threat of bullies have near-universal appeal. Ages 6—10. (Apr.)

Fiction

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda Tom Angleberger. Abrams/Amulet, $12.95 (160p) ISBN 978-0-8109-8425-7

“Is Origami Yoda real?” is the question that plagues sixth-grader Tommy and drives the plot of this snappy debut. From one perspective, Origami Yoda is a finger puppet that offers cryptic but oddly sage advice to Tommy and his classmates. From another, he is simply the “green paperwad” animated by Tommy's misfit friend, Dwight, who “wear[s] shorts with his socks pulled up above his knees” and stares into space “like a hypnotized chicken.” Compiling a series of funny, first-person accounts of Yoda's wisdom from his friends, Tommy hopes to solve this mystery to determine whether to trust Yoda's advice about asking a certain girl to dance. Angleberger peppers his chapters with spot-on boy banter, humorously crude Captain Underpants—style drawings, and wisecrack asides that comically address the social land mines of middle school. Tommy confronts the ethical dilemma of standing up for the weird kid and the angst of school dances: “My hands were shaking and my stomach was excited like the time my dad accidentally drove into a fire hydrant.” But with enigmatic counsel like “Cheetos for everyone you must buy,” Yoda keeps the mystery alive. Ages 8—12. (Apr.)

The Summer Before Ann M. Martin. Scholastic Press, $16.99 (224p) ISBN 978-0-545-16093-3

Written by turn in the voice of each girl, Martin's thoughtfully crafted prequel to the Baby-sitters Club brings the series' four protagonists through an emotional, often bumpy summer. On the eve of seventh grade, each feels stranded. Feisty Kristy resents the presence of her divorced mother's boyfriend, and thinks she's the only one in her “oh-so-happy” family who still misses her father. Shy Mary Anne begins to feel smothered by her overprotective single father, who still selects her clothes and refuses to let her babysit by herself. Both girls feel abandoned by free-spirited Claudia, whose preoccupation with her first boyfriend also alienates her older sister (who liked him first). Chiming in from a distance, Stacey is friendless in New York City and looks forward to starting a new life when she moves to Stoneybrook, Conn. Despite some passages that readers may find dated (“So we spent an enjoyable two hours swinging on the swings...”; “My gifts were lovely”), Martin credibly and affectingly blends the friends' stories and resolves their issues, while deftly foreshadowing what lies ahead. Ages 8—12. (Apr.)

The Reinvention of Edison Thomas Jacqueline Houtman. Boyds Mills/Front Street, $17.95 (192p) ISBN 978-1-59078-708-3

Houtman's debut presents the singular voice of Eddy, who sees the world from a different angle. He attends Drayton Middle School, but prefers disassembling old machines in his basement, gathering scientific facts (which he shares in excerpts from the “Random Access Memory of Edison Thomas”), practicing Morse code, and avoiding loud noises, crowds, and Mitch (a friend-turned-bully). Eddy sees a counselor, who aids him in developing his nearly nonexistent social skills—despite having a head for facts and data, he's incapable of understanding figures of speech—and managing his general anxiety (“He had made a huge logical error. As big as Uluru/Ayers Rock [346 meters high]. No, even bigger”). When the local crossing guard's position is eliminated, Eddy invents a device to make the intersection safe. With help from his classmate Justin, Eddy might just win first place at the regional science fair and make his first true friend. A perceptive look at a complicated mind, the novel is steeped in the world of science (binomial nomenclature appears throughout), and the quirky humor and authentic characters should have wide appeal. Ages 8—up. (Apr.)

The Big Swim Cary Fagan. Groundwood (PGW, dist.), $14.95 (128p) ISBN 978-0-88899-969-6

Fagan (the Kaspar Snit books) shifts gears in this touching novel set at a Jewish sleepaway camp. Ethan did not want to be sent to Camp White Birch, but is pleasantly surprised to find that he doesn't mind it that much (even though he ends up with the nickname “Pinky,” thanks to the hypoallergenic blanket his mother sends to camp with him). It's an uneventful summer until a new camper named Zachary transfers in. The rumor mill has Zachary responsible for everything from minor pranks to animal torture and car theft, but when he moves in, he prefers to simply avoid the other kids. A chance encounter and conversations between Zachary and Ethan, Ethan's crush on a girl named Amber, and the titular Big Swim—an endurance swimming contest that even the counselors find challenging—form the basis for the rest of the novel. Although there isn't much meat in this brief book, Fagan perfectly captures the summer camp experience, and gives Ethan a realistic and likable voice that makes the story satisfying and charming—though readers may wish Ethan's summer went by slower. Ages 9—12. (Apr.)

Neil Flambé and the Marco Polo Murders Kevin Sylvester. Key Porter, $9.95 paper (304p) ISBN 978-1-55470-266-4

Sylvester (Gold Medal for Weird) takes readers into the culinary world of Vancouver, Canada, and into the kitchen of Neil Flambé, aka “the Nose,” a 14-year-old “wunderchef wunderbrat” with his own restaurant and line of cooking pans. Despite Neil's oversize ego, his highly sensitive nose makes him a valuable tool for the Vancouver police, who ask Neil to help them crack a series of murders targeting the city's famous chefs. Self-centered and arrogant, Neil is amusing if not likable (“I'm just trying to help ignorant slobs like you eat real food,” he tells the class bully). The mystery itself, connected to Marco Polo's final journey to Venice in the 14th century, is a tad overcomplicated, and readers may end up wondering if all the pieces ever really fell into place. Still, the antics of Neil's cousin and sous-chef, Larry, are chuckle-worthy, Sylvester's spot art sketches add an exuberant note, and the high-end cuisine will intrigue budding chefs. As pressure mounts for Neil, readers will hope this insufferable young chef is innocent, but mostly they'll wish they could sample his “Pommes de terre a la Flambé.” Ages 9—12. (Apr.)

The Dreamer Pam Muñoz Ryan, illus. by Peter Sís. Scholastic Press, $17.99 (384p) ISBN 978-0-439-26970-4

Ryan's (Paint the Wind) wandering and imaginative prose and Sís's (The Wall) quietly haunting art fuse in this fictionalized account of Pablo Neruda's upbringing in the small town of Temuco, Chile. Precocious, terribly shy, and insightful, Neruda (known then by his birth name, Neftalí Reyes) is curious about all facets of life, particularly the wonders of nature. “He stood, captivated, feeling small and insignificant, and at the same time as if he belonged to something much grander,” writes Ryan when Neftalí first sees the ocean. His role model is his uncle Orlando, who owns the local newspaper, but his domineering father has no patience for the boy's daydreaming and love of reading and writing, which ultimately provokes Neftalí's passion for finding his own voice. Printed in green ink (as is the text), Sís's stippled illustrations provide surreal visual teasers for each chapter. Larger images pair with poetic questions (“Is fire born of words? Or are words born of fire?”) that echo Neruda's The Book of Questions. Stressing “the importance of following dreams and staying determined,” the book is an immaculately crafted and inspiring piece of magical realism. Ages 9—14. (Apr.)

This Means War! Ellen Wittlinger. Simon & Schuster, $16.99 (224p) ISBN 978-1-4169-7101-6

Fifth-grader Juliet cannot grasp why Lowell doesn't want to be her friend anymore, so when Patsy moves into her neighborhood, she happily befriends the loud, opinionated girl. Lowell seems relieved (“You have a girl to play with, and I have boys. That's how it's supposed to work.... Isn't it?”), but Juliet still feels hurt. When a neighborhood bully proposes a series of competitions between boys and girls, Juliet joins Patsy's team. Even though the tests are increasingly dangerous, readers might be surprised by the intense final face-off. Wittlinger (Parrotfish) raises many complex gender questions without being heavy-handed: can boys and girls be friends as they get older? Are traditional girl activities like dancing as athletic as stereotypical boy ones like hitting a baseball? Readers will find it easy to root for Juliet, both as she competes and as she sorts out her relationships with sensitive Lowell and the often pushy Patsy. The book's backdrop—an Air Force town during the Cuban Missile Crisis—ratchets up the anxiety and clearly places the children in a critical moment between childhood and the adult world. Ages 10—14. (Apr.)

The Firefly Letters: A Suffragette's Journey to Cuba Margarita Engle. Holt, $16.99 (160p) ISBN 978-0-8050-9082-6

Engle spins her latest historical novel-in-verse from the actual diaries of a 19th-century suffragette, Fredrika Bremer, who jettisoned her privileged existence in Sweden to travel and take notes on the plight of the poor. In 1851 Cuba, Bremer was assisted by another real-life figure, Cecilia, a pregnant African slave assigned as her translator by Bremer's host, a sugar baron. A third character is invented—Elena, the merchant's 12-year-old daughter who, through her interaction with Fredrika and Cecilia, grows aware of systemic injustice and her power to do something about it. As in her other novels, Engle (The Surrender Tree) writes in free verse, alternating among the characters' perspectives. Cecilia's story is the most poignant: Her father gave her to kidnappers in exchange for a stolen cow, and her unborn child also faces becoming a slave. But it's Elena who gives the plot momentum with a bold and risky choice that signals her own transformation. This slim, elegant volume opens the door to discussions of slavery, women's rights, and the economic disparity between rich and poor. Ages 10—up. (Mar.)

Me & Death: An Afterlife Adventure Richard Scrimger. Tundra, $12.95 paper (192p) ISBN 978-0-88776-796-8

In this fast-paced tale of life and death, Scrimger (Into the Ravine) explores the consequences actions can have on both sides of the mortal veil. Fourteen-year-old Jim is the neighborhood bully, a tough guy who steals fruit and cars and has nothing but disdain for his victims. After being run down by a car, he's taken to the Jordan Arms, where ghosts pass the time. While his body is in a coma, Jim's given the chance to relive key moments of his past and see where things went wrong, with a series of ghosts as his guides, and the promise of a chance to atone when he returns to the land of the living. Scrimger packs a lot into this short, philosophical tale, which openly acknowledges its Dickensian inspiration. The story largely plays out as a slightly gritty modern version of A Christmas Carol, though Scrimger dedicates the second half of the book to Jim's recovery from the accident and attempts at making reparations. If it doesn't break new ground thematically, readers should still find it an accessible story of redemption. Ages 11—up. (Apr.)

Paper Daughter Jeanette Ingold. Harcourt, $17 (224p) ISBN 978-0-15-205507-3

Ingold (Hitch) weaves together two intersecting stories in this novel about identity and family. Most of the chapters are about likable 16-year-old Maggie Chen, who discovers that her recently deceased reporter father lied about his past; these are interspersed with the memories of Fai-yi Li, who immigrated to Seattle from China in 1932 at age 15 with his twin sister using falsified documents. As Maggie begins an internship at a newspaper, she uncovers a corruption story that may involve her father. “Why would my father, who'd always said a person was only as good as his or her word, have lied about his parents and about how he'd been brought up?” she wonders. Though the historical chapters start slower, as Fai-yi's story builds, so does the tension and drama, especially his emotionally fraught relationship with his sister and star-crossed love. The conclusion feels a bit anticlimactic, and in some cases the dialogue hits themes of identity rather hard. Still, Ingold offers insight into the sacrifices and secrets involved in emigration from China during this period and their ripple effects. Ages 12—up. (Apr.)

Efrain's Secret Sofia Quintero. Knopf, $16.99 (272p) ISBN 978-0-375-84706-6

Adult author Quintero (Divas Don't Yield) delivers an in-your-face YA debut, a passionate polemic on racial politics in urban America. Couched in an explosive morality tale, the story is narrated by a driven high school senior in the South Bronx with the odds stacked against him (“...although I'm very smart, I'm too brown and too poor. In other words, I could never be smart enough”). To raise money for an Ivy League education, Efrain resorts to selling drugs (“I'm tired of being the good boy who never has anything to show for it.... Doing the right thing is supposed to be its own reward, but that's not enough to pay my tuition”). His efforts to justify his choice, understand his actions, and come to terms with myriad unforeseen consequences—especially after he gets caught—are felt on every page. Relevant SAT vocabulary words (like “pittance” and “apprehend”) begin each chapter, and seamlessly interwoven subplots, including Efrain's complex connection to his philandering father and his evolving relationship with Candace, a survivor of Hurricane Katrina, make the story that much more emotionally resonant. Ages 12—up. (Apr.)

Thirteen Days to Midnight Patrick Carman. Little, Brown, $16.99 (304p) ISBN 978-0-316-00403-9

In this largely successful contemporary dark fantasy, Carman's first book for YA readers, 15-year-old Jacob Fielding has both a secret power and a guilty secret. He is literally indestructible—nothing can hurt him—but gaining this newfound ability cost the life of his kindly but mysterious foster father. When Jacob discovers that he can share his invulnerability with others, he, his friend Milo, and the school's new girl, Oh, test its limits (in cringe-inducing scenes involving a lighter, a 12-foot fall onto a lamp, and a batting cage) and begin using it to save lives. But they learn that playing God—even with the intent to help—has consequences, and as Oh becomes increasingly obsessed with borrowing Jacob's indestructibility, he realizes the power has a dark will of its own, with “unrelenting claws digging into my bones like a cancer.” The novel occasionally suffers from moments of incoherence and its attempts at moral complexity can seem forced, but it produces serious chills and should appeal to readers who have grown out of Carman's Atherton and Land of Elyon series. Ages 12—up. (Apr.)

Revolver Marcus Sedgwick. Roaring Brook, $16.99 (224p) ISBN 978-1-59643-592-6

Set in 1910, 100 miles north of the Arctic Circle in the Scandinavian town of Giron, this intense survival story is propelled by a relentless sense of danger and bone-chilling cold. Einar, teenage Sig's father, has died after a fall through the ice. But the harsh environment pales in comparison with the ruthless stranger, Gunther Wolff, who demands from Sig and his sister the gold their father allegedly stole from him a decade earlier in the Alaska Gold Rush. Sedgwick (My Swordhand Is Singing) reveals the truth in riveting, gemlike scenes that juggle time periods, points of view, and the family's divided worldview, epitomized by Einar's Colt revolver. “Guns are evil. Evil, Einar,” says Sig's pacifist mother, while the more pragmatic Einar believes his Colt is “the most beautiful thing in the world.” In the end, the gun plays a pivotal role as Sig must shape his own view and act accordingly. Gracefully weaving in sources as diverse as the Old Testament story of Job and an 1896 ad for the revolver, Sedgwick lures his readers into deeper thinking while they savor this thrillingly told tale. Ages 12—up. (Apr.)

It's Not Summer Without You Jenny Han. Simon & Schuster, $16.99 (288p) ISBN 978-1-416-99555-5

In this second book of the planned trilogy that began with The Summer I Turned Pretty, 16-year-old Belly Conklin feels displaced. Unlike years past, she won't be at the beach with her mother's best friend, Susannah, and Susannah's sons, Jeremiah and Conrad. This summer, “I wasn't in Cousins. Conrad and I weren't together, and Susannah was dead.” When Belly learns from Jeremiah that Conrad has disappeared, she immediately agrees to help; their search leads them to the beach house, where Conrad is hiding out. Belly's plaintive voice sometimes makes her sound too young, but Han realistically touches upon the characters' various reactions to grief—Belly's mother becomes withdrawn, Conrad fiercely protects the house (his father wants to sell it), Belly has trouble processing the permanence of loss—as well as Belly's emotional entanglements with the brothers (occasional chapters are told from Jeremiah's perspective, and Belly reflects on her failed romance with Conrad). Though the fate of the summer house is resolved a bit quickly, Belly's difficult relationship with her best friend and her standing with the boys hang in the balance, which should leave readers anxious for the final installment. Ages 12—up. (Apr.)

Cultural Explorations

These colorful books integrate Spanish and other languages.

¡Muu, Moo!: Rimas de animals/Animal Nursery Rhymes Selected by Alma Flor Ada and F. Isabel Campoy, illus. by Viví Escrivá. HarperCollins/Rayo, $16.99 (48p) ISBN 978-0-06-134613-2

This bilingual poetry book from the collaborators behind ¡Pío Peep! contains 16 gentle animal nursery rhymes hailing from Spain and Latin America. Each appears in Spanish with an English adaptation, and several original works by Ada and Campoy are also included. The enduring appeal of the verses is clear, as in this tender poem: “My donkey told me today/ his ears are hurting, oh no!/ The doctor said that he should/ wear a black hat just so.” Escrivá's expressive illustrations (in “Little Brown Duck,” a mallard sheds tears over his missing wife) should enchant those reading the poems in either language. Ages 2—7. (Mar.)

Say Hello! Rachel Isadora. Putnam, $16.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-399-25230-3

Carmelita, a girl in pigtails with a butterscotch complexion, walks with her mother and her dog through a multicultural neighborhood en route to meet her Abuela Rosa. Each individual they encounter says hello in his or her respective language, and Carmelita echoes back each greeting. “Shalom!' says Mrs. Rosen and her children,” while a man flipping pizzas at an Italian restaurant calls “Ciao!” Even less formal greetings gets their due as Carmelita's friends shout “Hey!” and “Wuzzup?” Isadora's trademark textural collages, using oil paint and printed papers that recall batik, vividly convey the joys of diversity. Ages 3—5. (Apr.)

Chavela and the Magic Bubble Monica Brown, illus. by Magaly Morales. Clarion, $16 (32p) ISBN 978-0-547-24197-5

Chavela, who loves chewing gum, buys a pack of “Magic Chicle,” and the enormous pink bubble she blows propels her over the jungles of the Yucatán. “Down below, chicleros were making zigzag cuts in the tree trunks and collecting the dripping chicle in bag sacks.” Chavela lands on a “magic” sapodilla tree where she meets another girl; after her flight home, Chavela learns that the girl was in fact her own abuelita as a child. It's a somewhat opaque story, though Morales's luminous acrylics in rich, candy hues infuse it with a homespun magic. Ages 3—7. (May)

The Tooth Fairy Meets El Ratón Pérez René Colato Laínez, illus. by Tom Lintern. Tricycle, $15.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-58246-296-7

When Mexican-American Miguelito loses a tooth, a twinkly Tooth Fairy and her Latin American counterpart, El Ratón Pérez (an intrepid, Spanish-speaking rat) both show up. A tug-of-war ensues: “This is Miguelito's house, and I collected his papá's, mamá's, and his abuelitos' teeth,” says the rat. But mid-squabble, the tooth goes flying, requiring them to work together to get it back. Laínez's creative story approaches the topic of cultural identity with humor and grace, while newcomer Lintern's colored pencil illustrations give it a sense of nocturnal whimsy. Ages 4—7. (May)

The Party for Papá Luis/La fiesta para Papá Luis Diane Gonzales Bertrand, trans. into Spanish by Gabriela Baeza Ventura, illus. by Alejandro Galindo. Arte Público/Piñata, $16.95 (32p) ISBN 978-1-55885-532-8

A large cartoon family celebrates Papá Luis's birthday in this lively bilingual book. Every page identifies a different colorful element of the gathering (“This is the candy that filled the piñata that hung at the party for Papá Luis”), and layers them in the style of “There Was an Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly.” Galindo's exuberant caricatures endow each family member with a distinct personality: Mamá Marta, who makes an enormous layer cake, wears a white, Marge Simpson—like beehive, and three chic adult nieces bring a touch of glamour. Readers will be glad to join in, though the party ends a little suddenly, mid piñata swing. Ages 4—8. (Apr.)

Dear Primo: A Letter to My Cousin Duncan Tonatiuh. Abrams, $15.95 (32p) ISBN 978-0-8109-3872-4

Carlitos lives in Mexico and his cousin Charlie lives in an American city. Though they have never met, they compare their daily routines through letters. “Every morning I ride my bicicleta to school,” Carlitos writes. Charlie takes the subway, which he compares to “a long metal snake.” Tonatiuh draws from ancient Mexican art for his collages—always shown in profile, Carlitos and Charlie have oversize hands and feet and stylized facial features, almost like stone statues—while skyscrapers and graffiti provide modern flair. It's a subtly reflective story about friendship and commonalities. Ages 4—8. (Mar.)

Once Upon a Time/Habia una vez: Traditional Latin American Tales/Cuentos tradicionales latinoamericanos Rueben Martínez, trans. from the Spanish by David Unger, illus. by Raúl Colón. HarperCollins/Rayo, $19.99 (96p) ISBN 978-0-06-146895-7

This collection of seven Latin American folktales features side-by-side English and Spanish text and descriptions of the origins and significance of each tale. In modernized, plainspoken language, the selections range from a lighthearted courtship tale about a beautiful cockroach (deciding against lipstick, she says, “Red is not a good color for me”) to a trickster story featuring a gullible coyote. In the potentially unsettling “The Flower of Lirolay,” two princes bury their third sibling alive, but when they dig him up, he's “miraculously” still breathing. A mix of spot art, borders, and full-page scenes, Colón's illustrations, rendered in watercolor and colored pencil on scratched paper, are alternately playful and stately, and make the stories spring off the page. Ages 5—10. (Mar.)

Hide and Seek and Peek

Liftable flaps and hidden treasures abound in these interactive books.

Can You See What I See?: Treasure Ship Walter Wick. Scholastic/Cartwheel, $13.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-439-02643-7

The latest in Wick's long-running series centers on the story of a wrecked ship, the Bountiful, with luminous results. Striking photographic compositions illuminate the ship and its treasure; in all, they contain 200+ hidden objects and were created using digital photography with miniature and full-scale sets. Little by little, the “camera” pulls back to show wider views, revealing that the Bountifulis actually a ship in a bottle, in a knick-knack shop, in a seaside town, pictured in a postcard. The entrancing, detail-rich visuals and ingenious twist will likely stir readers' imaginations. All ages. (Apr.)

Hide and Seek in the Jungle Sean Callery, illus. by Rebecca Robinson. Kingfisher, $9.99 (12p) ISBN 978-0-7534-6392-5

Part peek-a-boo, part hide-and-seek, each spread of this large board book features a different animal (four in total) obscured by rainforest foliage. Die-cut windows show certain features of each animal, and clues are offered to help readers guess their hidden identities (“My stripes help me hide in the tall grass. I have sharp claws and teeth. I can see and hear very well”). Lifting one large flap vertically and the other horizontally reveals a striking tiger and cubs. Photos of other common rainforest animals appear on the final spread. The engaging, hands-on design should gratify youngest readers. Up to age 5. (Apr.)

Andy and Sam: Hide-and-Seek Liesbet Slegers. EDC/Kane Miller, $14.99 (28p) ISBN 978-1-935279-35-8

In this Dutch import, a boy named Andy invites readers to help him find his cat, Sam, who is sometimes “a bit naughty” and likes to hide. The search starts in the house and backyard, before moving to locales like the beach, zoo, and even the sky. Andy describes each scene (“The farm is a very busy place. Chicken, cows, horses, sheep.... They're all my friends!”) while prompts at the bottom of each spread ask readers to find various objects and animals. The sunny cartoons and enthusiastic child narrator make this an especially inviting diversion. Ages 2—5. (Mar.)

Animals Around the World Deborah Chancellor, illus. by Anthony Lewis. Kingfisher, $12.99 (16p) ISBN 978-0-7534-6393-2

This fun lift-the-flap book teaches readers about animals and their habitats, beginning with a world map that introduces the idea of migration. The colorful spreads that follow depict seven world habitats (“The Amazon rainforest is very hot and extremely wet—it rains for about 250 days per year”). Species appear on flaps that blend into the surroundings; readers should enjoy collecting the eye-opening bits of information underneath each friendly animal's picture, though the concept of migration doesn't carry through to the rest of the book. Ages 3—6. (Apr.)

Let's Explore a Castle Nicholas Harris, illus. by Brain Lee. Langenscheidt/Hammond, $13.99 (36p) ISBN 978-0-8437-1395-4

Die-cut windows and gatefold flaps reveal cross-sections of areas of a medieval castle. The castle keep shows room-by-room details of what might go on in a lord's family life—a small boy hides, a dog sits by a fire, a jester performs. Several scenes reappear as vignettes on the following pages, with detailed explanations: “On special occasions, lavish banquets were held in the Great Hall, the largest room in the keep.” Readers should be drawn to the interactive component and the way the cutaway walls almost function like panels in a graphic novel. Available simultaneously: Let's Explore a Pirate Ship. Ages 5—8. (Jan.)