* Boing Boing
Author: Anne Peltola
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Enchanted Lion Books (April 14, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1592700853
ISBN-13: 978-1592700851

Book Review
Colorful, playful, creative, let your imagination ‘boing’ away with you. Read with your child the tale of a drawing that comes to life. Boing Boing is a little red ball that bounces through some fantastical situations and finally bounces on home. If you like stories with a different take, this one’s it.

* * Feeling Sad
Author: Sarah Verroken
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Enchanted Lion Books (April 14, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1592700837
ISBN-13: 978-1592700837

Book Review
I love the way the illustrations change from black and white to color as Duck feels better. A great book for little ones dealing with sadness or grief. I can’t help but think of how much this book would have been a big help for my bipolar son when he was little, helping him to express his feelings and find a way to feel better. The illustrations absolutely convey the mood change in a way that will make sense and delight your little one as he looks for the ‘bright spots’ in the gloomy day.

* * * Big Wolf & Little Wolf
Author: Nadine Brun-Cosme
Illustrator: Olivier Tallec
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: Enchanted Lion Books (October 27, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1592700845
ISBN-13: 978-1592700844

Book Description
Big Wolf has always lived alone at the top of a hill under a tree, so when a little wolf suddenly arrives one day, he does not know what to think.

Book Review
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book! WONDERFUL story, awesome illustrations. Just an enjoyable, colorful book you can immerse yourself in. All about sharing and friendship and nowhere near overdoing it it with heavy-handedness like many books today. Just a great story that your child will love to have you read to him and you’ll enjoy it just as much. Great storytelling!

* * The Suburban Dragon
Author: Garasamo Maccagnone
Paperback: 50 pages
Publisher: BookSurge Publishing (April 4, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1419660446
ISBN-13: 978-1419660443

Book Review
How cute! A wonderful little story your family will love (and relate to)! This is one of those books I can’t wait to share with my 5-yr-old reader. He will love the whimsy and humor.

* * *Are You Afraid Yet? The Science Behind Scary Stuff
Author: Stephen James O’Meara
Hardcover: 80 pages
Publisher: Kids Can Press (March 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1554532949
ISBN-13: 978-1554532940

Book Description
Want a good scare? Try reading about severed heads that blink, killer viruses that eat their human host, and real-life werewolves (just for starters)! Scared yet? That’s okay – feeling scared is natural and useful. Want to know more about these and other fears? Pick up this one-of-a-kind book, an illustrated investigation into all the stuff that’s frightened us out of our wits for centuries and the gruesome, gory, gut-churning science behind it. What makes our skin crawl and our spines tingle? Why do we shiver? Why do scary movies make us scream? Uncover the truth behind such scaremongers as King Kong, UFOs, vampires, mummies, ghosts, haunted houses, and many more. First-person and historical accounts and expert scientific opinions make this the ideal book for both skeptics and believers – and anyone who loves a good old-fashioned scare. The comic-book style panels and bite-sized freaky facts mean that you can gorge on or just nibble little bits of scary stuff.

Book Review
Excellent for this age group. Gross, gruesome, gory and then some. Also, fun, fact-filled and fantastic. Certainly something I would gobble up when I was 9-12 and don’t mind if I sneak off with the book at my age now and enjoy it.

* * Marie Curie
Author: Elizabeth MacLeod
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Kids Can Press (February 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1554532973
ISBN-13: 978-1554532971

Book Description
Meet Marie Curie — Nobel laureate and world famous scientist. Marie was the first woman to win the world’s top science prize — and the first person to win it twice. The story of her discoveries, including the metals polonium and radium, and her contribution to the study of radiation is told in level-appropriate language and detailed illustrations.

Book Review
Excellent. Not only encourages reading, but also an interest in history and science. I like to have my kids read the Kids Can Press biographies because it gets them thinking about what they can do when they grow up.

* * Chill: Discover the Cool (and Creative) Side of Your Refrigerator
Author: Allan Peterkin
Illustrator: Mike Shiell
Paperback: 80 pages
Publisher: Kids Can Press (March 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1554533015
ISBN-13: 978-1554533015

Book Description
Did you know that a refrigerator has the power to make your spare time more interesting and families more functional? A fridge can also give kids a sense of artistic accomplishment – and even help them make some extra cash. They can also use the fridge to horrify siblings and brainwash parents! Chill is an interactive guide for kids to make their family fridge the most cool and creative in the universe. This colorfully illustrated book, full of comic-strip sections, cool factoids and out-there fridge psychology, includes a history of refrigeration, instructions on how to create special-occasion fridges, 101 things to put on your fridge, the Five Taboo Fridge Behaviors, how to create a fridge art consulting business, crafts, quizzes and games and more. Chill will keep the whole family coming back to the refrigerator again and again – and not just to rummage for snacks.

Book Review
More than you never knew about refrigerators. Cool, interesting, fun and amazingly addictive. A great addition to your home library section for books on how things work.

* * Too Tall Alice
Author: Barbara Worton
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Great Little Books (March 15, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0979066115
ISBN-13: 978-0979066115

Book Description
Alice is tall. Not T-Rex or Empire State Building tall. Just four inches taller than the other girls in her class, and Alice is worried.

FOUR INCHES! That’s a lot of inches taller than everyone else. Her mom says it’s okay to be tall, and her dad says it’s okay to be tall. IT’S OKAY FOR THEM TO SAY THAT. THEY’RE NORMAL!

Alice wishes, really wishes, she was just like everyone else. Then, her dream takes her to the place where the tall girls live, and she sees, really sees, herself for the first time.

Book Review
Where was this book when I was in grade school? They called me Amazon. The best part about this book? The young women Alice dreams about that help her discover how cool being tall (or anything else that makes you stand out) can be. A must read for girls in a day and age where image is ‘everything’ – but what about self-perception? Read this book with your girls and share Alice’s self-discovery.

* Hannah Montana Web Pass: Secrets Unlocked Online
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Board book: 48 pages
Publisher: Reader’s Digest; Brdbk edition (March 3, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0794417965
ISBN-13: 978-0794417963

Book Description
Get exclusive information about Hannah Montana and her life through the Sweet Pass, an innovative and value-added concept that ties book contact to a stand alone Web site.

This innovative format offers girls the “best of both worlds” with a truly interactive experience. The book features vignettes and moments from the TV show grouped by Fashion, Friends, School, Music, Family, Boys, and more. But here’s the best part: each book comes with a cool guitar-shaped plastic card—with an attached charm chain—that has a unique Web site address and code printed on the back of it. When the girl goes to the indicated Web site and enters the code a window with folders will appear giving access to a number of unique images, tunes, activities, and more. It’s a one-of-a-kind format offering Hannah Montana fans exclusive access to tons of cool stuff.

Book Review
Hannah Montana? Secrets? Cool Facts? Fashion? Design? A connection to online fun? Surefire fun for the Hannah Montana tween in your life.

* * Seeing Red
Author: Anne Louise MacDonald
Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Kids Can Press (February 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1554532922
ISBN-13: 978-1554532926

Book Description
Frankie Uccello seems like just another fourteen-year-old boy — Ace of Average, King of Common, Master of Middle. Everything he does has a tendency to turn out average. Even when Frankie dreams recurrently of flying, his father tells him that at least one in three people does this. He’s perfectly normal, normal, normal. Or is he? When Frankie discovers something ominous about his dreams — that he can dream the future, especially when something bad is about to happen — he realizes that he might be talented, after all. But seeing the future was only cool in movies and TV. In real life, you’re just a whacko. Besides, the future doesn’t look good. One night Frankie dreams his best friend, Tim, falls from a horse. Is Tim going to be killed? Can Frankie save him? Something about the dream doesn’t fit, and that something is Weird Maura-Lee, one of three people Frankie avoids like the plague. Maura-Lee can read minds, and she seems to be reading his.

Book Review
A good book! The main characters have interesting powers – one can read other people’s moods based on their auras and the other dream the future in different colors. It’s an unpredictable plot unlike much of what is out there to read for this age group. – R.C., age 14

This book is good for people who like mysteries or stories with puzzles and hidden messages. It’s a good balance between the ordinary and the mystical. N.C., age 14

* * The Ark, the Reed & the Fire Cloud
Author: Jenny Cote
Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 464 pages
Publisher: AMG Publishers (September 30, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0899571980
ISBN-13: 978-0899571980

Book Description
A magical adventure of animals traveling worldwide to Noah’s ark Max, a Scottish terrier, takes his usual morning trot down to the loch where he hears a mysterious Voice humming in the reeds saying, “COME TO ME . . . FOLLOW THE FIRE CLOUD.” He embarks on an unknown journey from Scotland, meeting other animals along the way including Liz, a brilliant, petite black cat from France. Max and Liz become the brave leaders for their group, and eventually, for the entire ark. The mysterious journey, filled with danger, humor, trials, and triumphs, leads them across Europe to the Middle East.

The moment of arrival for these animals is spectacular as the ark is miraculously transformed into the animals’ natural habitats.

Throughout the prior one hundred years, Noah and family have to endure ridicule from villagers while building the ark. Now this family must painfully witness the loss of lives and total destruction of the earth through the mighty flood.

After the journey to the ark, the voyage in the ark begins. Liz finds ways to keep the animals occupied, including daily exercise led by the flamingos and talent night where the animals entertain each other with their natural abilities. BUT a sinister plot develops. Someone is out to kill Noah and his family. Liz follows clues that lead her to discover a stowaway who has deceived them all. Max and Liz foil the plot, but at a high price. The end climaxes with unexpected twists and turns, taking the reader from despair to hope.

Book Review
I recommend this book for ages 9 -12. A refreshing and unique new look at the story of Noah. Fun and adventure!

* * Stepping Up
Author: Mark Fink
Hardcover: 216 pages
Publisher: WestSide Books; First edition (March 24, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1934813036
ISBN-13: 978-1934813034

Book Description
Ernie Dolan, 14, is plagued by the curse of the average. Nothing about him stands out-except his stutter. Only best friend Mike Rivers sees him at his best. Then, at a competitive basketball camp, Mike excels while Ernie is-average. When Ernie blunders in a pickup game, Rick Craig, obnoxious camp hotshot, nicknames him”Choke.” This sets the tone for Ernie’s first week. But he soon finds three new allies: bunkmate Albert Mann, a goofy genius and practical joker; Coach Petrovich, a 6′8″ Russian who mangles the English language; and camp director Tim Sanders, the mentor every kid needs. Soon, Ernie and Mike are on the outs, as Mike hangs with Craig and the jocks. But things change dramatically as Ernie morphs from outcast to hero, risking his life to save three campmates from near tragedy. Ernie’s funny, heartwarming story unfolds against the backdrop of exciting, authentic basketball action, while touching on typical teen issues of friendship and the near-deadly consequences of peer pressure.

Book Review
Inspirational, uplifting. Stepping Up focuses on sports and friendship showing that friends forgive each other and still look out for each other. Funny, too. – N.C., 14 yrs old

People who like sports will like this book. It will also encourage the reader to be more confident in himself seeing how this character overcame his weaknesses. A nice story. – R.C., age 14

* Waiting to Score
Author: J.E. MacLeod
Hardcover: 200 pages
Publisher: WestSide Books; First edition (February 26, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 193481301X
ISBN-13: 978-1934813010

Book Description
Quirky, smart, and good looking, Zack Chase is a book-loving, talented hockey player.But he doesn’t want to turn pro like his late dad, despite his mom’s hopes. New in town, Zack’s pitted against obnoxious Mac, the hockey team captain with something against Jane, the alluring Goth-girl who’s caught Zack’s eye. As incidents on the ice and off force Zack to decide what he really wants, he copes with sore losers, other people’s drinking problems, and the consequences of making out with too many girls. As Zack focuses even less on hockey, he discovers other ways he wants to score in life, especially as a 15-year-old guy with spiking hormones. He’s being chased by hot little Mona; his best friend Sheila has curves that make him sweat; and he’d like to show Jane that he’s not another typical hockey player. Soon Zack finds out the hard way that people have secrets and burdens all their own, and that some actions have tragic, far-reaching consequences.

Review
For people who like sports and high school drama with parties and social status, I’d recommend this book. – R.C., 14 yrs old

The story was okay for the age level but it does focus on bad relationship experiences, alcohol and drugs. It left me feeling somewhat depressed. – N.C., 14 yrs old

* * * Cashay
Author: Margaret McMullan
Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 176 pages
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (April 6, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0547076568
ISBN-13: 978-0547076560

Book Description
In her fourteen years living in a Chicago housing project, Cashay has never ridden in a taxi cab, seen the city lit up at night, or set foot in a museum. She’s not pretty, or graceful, or bubbly like her little sister, Sashay. She gets her family by on a couple of dollars and food stamps every week.

No, Cashay has never felt much like a treasure. “Your name doesn’t signify who you are,” Cashay tells her sister.

But that was before Sashay was killed. Before her mother started using again. Before her mentor, Allison, showed Cashay a bigger piece of the world, and encouraged her to finally, finally step into it.

A name may not signify who you are, but in this poignant coming of age story by acclaimed writer Margaret McMullan, readers will find that indeed, Cashay is an exception to her own rule.

Book Review
I liked this book because it’s a good story, though sad. It’s about a girl whose sister gets shot and whose mother is a drug addict, but she wants too make a better life for herself. She’s smart and has a strong character and when she goes to a church group she meets a lady there who helps her get her life back and deal with her grief. A good story with a happy ending.
- R.C., age 14

I liked the book because it is realistic and shows that people can overcome tragedy in their lives. The story really pulls you in and I easily got caught up in it. Different people help Cashay and demonstrate that humanity is still good even if your personal situation is not. – N.C., age 14

* * * When I Crossed No-Bob
Author: Margaret McMullan
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company
ISBN-13: 978-0-618-71715-6
ISBN-10: 0-618-71715-3
Publication date: November 2007
216 pages
Reading Level: Ages 10-14/ Young Readers, JUV FICTION

Book Description
Life as an O’Donnell is all twelve-year-old Addy knows, and life as an O’Donnell means trouble. Tucked away in a gray patch of woods called No-Bob, the O’Donnell clan has nothing but a bad reputation. So when Addy’s mama abandons her on the afternoon of Mr. Frank Russell’s wedding celebration, nobody is very surprised.

A reluctant Mr. Frank and his new wife take Addy in, and Addy does everything she can to prove that at least one O’Donnell has promise. But one day, Addy witnesses a terrible event that brings her old world crashing into the new. As she finds herself being pulled back into No-Bob and the grips of her O’Donnell kin, Addy is faced with the biggest decision of her life. Can she somehow find the courage to do what’s right, even if it means betraying one of her own?

Book Review
I liked it a lot because the author did a good job with the characters, showing them growing and changing over time. There were also a lot of cultures in the book like Native Americans and black and white settlers and the author showed how they got along on one hand while dealing with prejudices on the other. The book did a very good job of showing the time period as well and I would recommend it to people who love history. – R.C., 14 yrs old.