Guide Book to Gift Books an Annotated List of Books for Youth 2012
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
GUIDE BOOK TO GIFT BOOKS AN ANNOTATED LIST OF BOOKS FOR YOUTH 2012 T’S HARD TO IMAGINE FINER GIFTS THAN BOOKS—they o!er enjoyment, knowledge, and artistic stimulation. "ey’re also gifts that go on giving without requiring any upkeep or cleanup, they’re a cinch to wrap, and they’re easily sent through the mail! IAll of these titles have been reviewed in the Bulletin, so they’ve been recommended by profes- sionals. All were in print in the U.S. at the time of this guide’s compilation, so they should be either in stock or quickly available through a special order from bookstores both brick-and- mortar and virtual. You know your recipient better than we do, of course, so you’re the best judge of a title’s suitability and promise for an individual reader. We’ve included A LOOK INSIDE a broad range of styles, genres, subjects, and chal- lenge levels (roughly divided by audience age), so PICTURE BOOKS . 2 whether you’re looking for a cheerful picture book, an absorbing non#ction title, or a pulse-pounding novel, there will be something here for the young BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS person on your gift-book list. GR. 1-3, 6-8 YRS . 8 While titles are sorted into four categories accord- BOOKS FOR MIDDLE READERS ing to their most likely use—picture books for read- GR. 4-6, 9-11 YRS . 13 ing aloud to youngsters, books for primary-grades readers, books for middle-grades readers, and young adult titles—neither books nor readers are so eas- BOOKS FOR OLDER READERS ily categorizable, so we’ve included age/grade-range GR. 7-12, 12-18 YRS . .20 designations to help you get an idea of just who in that category is a title’s likeliest audience. And since many books reach across category borders but could only be included once, you’ll want to check the next category younger for titles whose audience stretches up into the higher age range. —Deborah Stevenson, Editor A Publication of the University of Illinois Graduate School of Library and Information Science 501 E. Daniel Street, Champaign, IL 61820-6211 PICTURE BOOKS & BARNETT, MAC Extra Yarn; illus. by Jon Klassen. Balzer & Bray, 2011. BILDNER, PHIL !e Hallelujah Flight; illus. by John Holy#eld. $16.99 5-8 yrs Putnam, 2010. $16.99 5-8 yrs "e gentle, folkloric premise of a never-ending stash of yarn partners With tall-tale aplomb, this #ctionalized account retraces the historic with slyly comic illustrations for a winning combination that will 1932 $ight by the #rst African-American pilot to $y across the appeal to both aspiring knitters and jokesters alike. continental United States. BINGHAM, KELLY Z Is for Moose; illus. by Paul O. Zelinsky. BROACH, ELISE Gumption!; illus. by Richard Egielski. Atheneum, Greenwillow, 2012. $16.99 3-7 yrs 2010. $16.99; e-book $12.99 5-8 yrs In this cleverly silly staging of an alphabetical pageant, an endearingly A young boy accompanies his explorer uncle on an arduous African goofy moose disrupts the order in a book that works both as funny safari and gets some much-needed assistance from a few friendly alphabet book and comic story. jungle creatures in this vibrantly illustrated tale replete with hapless adults and mischievous animals. BUITRAGO, JAIRO Jimmy the Greatest; illus. by Rafael Yockteng. Groundwood, 2012. $18.95; e-book $18.95 5-8 yrs In Jimmy’s small town in Latin America, there’s nowhere to go but church and the boxing gym, and Jimmy’s embrace of boxing allows him to #nd himself and, as he grows up, to #nd a way to give back to his town; easygoing comic-style art is accessible yet subtly detailed. BURNINGHAM, JOHN !ere’s Going to be a Baby; illus. by Helen Oxenbury. Candlewick, 2010. $16.99 4-6 yrs A little boy discusses what the future holds for his new baby sibling in this imaginative and cozy tale perfectly suited for expectant big brothers or sisters. BLACKALL, SOPHIE Are You Awake?; written and illus. by Sophie CAMPBELL, K.G. Lester’s Dreadful Sweaters; written and illus. by K.G. Blackall. Henry Holt, 2011. $12.99 3-6 yrs Campbell. Kids Can, 2012. $16.95 6-9 yrs Sleepless toddlers (and their sleepy parents) will be all too familiar Kids who have been secretly horri#ed by their relative’s attempts at with the give-and-take of little Edward’s attempts to keep his mom DIY gifts will greatly appreciate this ready-made tale of one youngster awake for some nighttime mischief. who #nds an ingenious fate for his aunt’s less than welcome knitted creations. BOTTNER, BARBARA Miss Brooks Loves Books! (and I Don’t); illus. by Michael Emberley. Knopf, 2010. $17.99; e-book $10.99 5-7 yrs CLARK, EMMA CHICHESTER, ad. Goldilocks and the !ree Bears; ad. "is sparkling, funny tale of a reluctant reader who comes to embrace and illus. by Emma Chichester Clark. Candlewick, 2010. $14.99 2-5 the wonder of the library is pleasingly free of the heavy-handed yrs messaging of most pro-librarian titles. British illustrator Clark breathes new life into the classic tale in her delicious, spirited, yet respectful adaptation. BROWN, MONICA Waiting for the Biblioburro; illus. by John Parra. Tricycle, 2011. $16.99 5-8 yrs COLE, BROCK !e Money We’ll Save; written and illus. by Brock Cole. In this picture book based on a real Colombian librarian’s work, Ana Ferguson/Farrar, 2012. $16.99 6-9 yrs is thrilled when a librarian rides into her rural Colombian village with In this enjoyable period tale, the live turkey that’s supposed to end two donkeys and a portable collection of books that feed her hungry up as the family’s Christmas dinner causes mayhem in their tenement imagination. house—and becomes too much of a pet to be eaten; Cole’s cozily rumpled watercolors are rich with light-hearted warmth. BROWNE, ANTHONY How Do You Feel?; written and illus. by Anthony Browne. Candlewick, 2012. $14.99 3-6 yrs COMPESTINE, YING CHANG Crouching Tiger; illus. by Yan Nascimbene, Vivid watercolor and gouache art featuring an overalled child-proxy Candlewick, 2011. $16.99 6-9 yrs chimp expressively illustrates moods such as “happy,” “angry,” and A young boy #nds it di%cult to connect with his visiting Chinese “shy.” grandfather until he realizes that Grandpa’s a cool and admirable guy; streamlined watercolor illustrations include diagrams of tai chi poses. BRYAN, ASHLEY Who Built the Stable?: A Nativity Poem; written and illus. by Ashley Bryan. Atheneum, 2012. $16.99 4-7 yrs COOPER, ELISHA Beaver Is Lost; written and illus. by Elisha Cooper. "is engaging Nativity verse focuses on the young boy whose father Schwartz & Wade, 2010. $17.99 4-7 yrs built the stable in which Joseph, Mary, and child shelter; legendary Luminous watercolors tell the story in this nearly wordless picture illustrator Bryant’s radiant celebratory art is both fantastical and book that follows a young beaver as he takes a detour through the inviting. hustle and bustle of the big city. PICTURE BOOKS ( CORDELL, MATTHEW Another Brother; written and illus. by Matthew GEISERT, ARTHUR Ice. Enchanted Lion, 2011. $14.95 5-9 yrs Cordell. Feiwel, 2012. $16.99 4-6 yrs An intricately illustrated, wordless picture book recounts the e!orts of Expectant siblings will appreciate this absurd story of Davy the sheep an industrious colony of pigs as they attempt to obtain and use a giant and his ever-expanding family; even only-children will chuckle over iceberg to cool o!. the ridiculously plump and pop-eyed sheep that #ll the over-the-top illustrations. GIBBS, EDWARD Little Bee; written and illus. by Edward Gibbs. LB Kids/Little, 2012. $8.99 2-4 yrs CUNNANE, KELLY Chirchir Is Singing; illus. by Jude Daly. Schwartz & Vivid saturated colors and high-action line distinguishes the Wade, 2011. $17.99 5-8 yrs illustrations in this lively rhyming board book, where a little bee is Life in a rural Kenyan village is lyrically depicted in this cozy, touching only the #rst in a sequence of several critters $eeing from a pursuing tale of one girl’s e!orts to help out her family. animal. CZEKAJ, JEF Cat Secrets; written and illus. by Jef Czekaj. Balzer + Bray, 2011. $16.99 3-6 yrs Youngsters have to prove their feline prowess before the furry narrators of this book will let them explore the extra-special, super-secret book of cat secrets. DALY, CATHLEEN Prudence Wants a Pet; illus. by Stephen Michael King. Porter/Roaring Brook, 2011. $16.99 6-9 yrs "ere’s poker-face humor galore in this tale of plucky Prudence, who when her parents forbid her a pet tries out creative alternatives such as a Branch (named Branch). HARPER, CHARISE MERICLE Pink Me Up; written and illus. by DODD, EMMA I Love Bugs!; written and illus. by Emma Dodd. Charise Mericle Harper. Knopf, 2010. $16.99 4-6 yrs Holiday House, 2010. $16.95; paperback $6.95 3-6 yrs When her mother can’t make it for a special girly outing, little bunny Wee animal lovers whose tastes extend to the creepy and crawly will Violet transforms her father into a suitably decorative companion for especially appreciate this celebratory, rhythmic introduction to all the “Pink Girls Pink-nic” in this comedic yet sweet picture book. manner of multi-legged critters. HILLENBRAND, WILL Mother Goose Picture Puzzles; ad. and illus. by DURAND, HALLIE Mitchell’s License; illus.