The White Stag by Kate Seredy

The Newbery Medal Winner from 1938 presents the mythical origins of Attila the Hun and his Hunnic Empire. Starving and destitute, the Huns and the Magyars are visited by visions of a new world of green fields and clear waters by a White Stag. They pack their bags and head west under the guidance of their brother kings: Hunar & Magyar. They eventually suffer a schism as the Hun favor pressing on, and the Magyar satisfy themselves with a land east of the Carpathians. But the coming of a child warrior-prodigy, Attila, who is again visited by a white stag and guides them westward into the lands in the eastern part of the crumbling Roman Empire--provides them with the will to press on to the true land of legendary promise.

Merit: Fascinating cultural mythology with bold illustrations by the author. Stories of trial and faith.
Share: Mythology readings.
Appeal: Mythological creatures: wood nymphs, white stags and flaming eagles.

Runny Babbit by Shel Silverstein

The last work by Shel Silverstein, published posthumously. The cover descriptions states that it was a work in progress for twenty years. It follows the adventures of Runny Babbit in verse following the letter-swapping language of the animals of the green woods. So rather than being a bunny rabbit, he's a runny babbit. The tales are entertaining daily encounters with an interesting collection of friends and family. Although the jumbled wording could be challenging to a beginning reader, it's amazing how quickly one gets used to it and reads the stories as though they were "normally" written. The stories and verse are funny and entertaining, as are the standard Silverstein illustrations along the pottom of the bage. :)

Merit: Entertaining, if challenging language. Simple and entertaining line art.
Share: Read-to or read-with. Whitespace and font size categorize his work as transitional.
Appeal: Fun adventures presented in entertaining language & verse as well as humorous artwork.

Behind the Museum Door by Jee Bennett Hopkins & Stacey Dressen-McQueen

A collection of poems about what may be found in museums around the world. From dinosaur bones to tapestries from the middle ages to natural histories of animals such as the Wooly Mammoth, displays are described in poems and illustrated in colorful artwork depicting kids enjoying the various displays.

Merit: Creative verse and artwork introducing human and planetary history as presented in museums.
Share: Read-to & self-read by older kids.
Appeal: Colorful artwork & descriptive verse.

Colors of the Navajo by Emily Abbink & Janice Lee Porter (Ill)

A wonderful yet simple book describing the traditions and lifestyle of the Navajo in northeastern Arizona & parts of New Mexico & Utah. Associated to a color from their daily lives, such subjects as the making of turquoise jewelry and the sacredness of the ant are described. The length and form of the text would preclude self-reading until later in grade school.

Merit: Cultural information on a proud & ancient race of Native Americans.
Share: Read to youngsters. Readable later in grade school.
Appeal: Colorful artwork and well researched cultural information.

The Real Mother Goose Board Book by Scholastic

A board book of classic nursery rhymes like "Humpty Dumpty" and "Sing a song of six pence" with accompanying drawings depicting the story of the rhyme on opposing pages. Colorful & simple pictures are pleasing for young eyes.

Merit: Classic tales they will no doubt read or recite to their own children some day.
Share: Read-to. Child may pick up book & look at pictures.
Appeal: Entertaining rhymes & attractive artwork.

Here are My Hands by Bill Martin Jr., John Archambault & Ted Rand (Ill)

A board book of artwork depicting body parts like hands, feet, elbows & chin. The art depicts multi-racial children in various activities accentuating the part being illustrated. The text rhymes, which makes it fun for the child to listen to and aids memorization.

Merit: Bright colors, informational for young people.
Share: Read-to. Child may pick up book & look at pictures.
Appeal: Colorful art and entertaining text.

Baby Pets by Margaret Miller

Board book with photos of infants with house pets. The colorful clothing of the children are balanced with the color (or lack thereof) of the animals. The baby with the rabbit is eating a carrot.

Merit: Associate babies with animals that might be around the home as well.
Share: Read-to. Child may pick up book & look at pictures.
Appeal: Colorful pictures and friendly animals.

Baby Animals by Dorling Kindersley

A board book of photos of infant animals from around the world accompanied by pictures of toddlers with stuffed animals like the real ones. This allows the youngster to associate the real world with the comfortable one inside his or her own home.

Merit: Association of real world with home.
Share: Read-to. Child may pick up book & look at pictures.
Appeal: Colorful photos of adorable creatures.

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

A cleaver first novel by the author with simple characters and interactions. Lira & Doon are youngsters just starting in Ember, their city in a cavern beneath the ground. Lira finds an ancient document she suspects to have instructions for everyone's future. Doon suspects that future to be grim without some changes to the way things are run. Together, the explore both their mysterious natural environment and the vageries of their political one. Greed, fear, ignorance, all things sacrificed for safety and familiarity--these are all themes explored in the tale. Some of the premices of the story are a little far-fetched (the box with the document in it ending up in a closet would be about as likely as the same thing happening to the Declaration of Independence), but it still makes for an interesting story for young readers in the 10 to 15-year-old range. Made into a movie in 2008 with Bill Murray & Tim Robbins.

Merit: Interesting storyline. Simple vocabulary for young readers.
Share: Post-apocalyptic materials. Materials notebook.
Appeal: 10 to 15-year-old readers with a penchant for adventure stories.

My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George

A Newbery winner about Sam, a young man who decides he's had enough of the turbulent New York City, decide to head out into the Catskill Mountains with bare essentials and live on his own for a year. He faces the rigors of the upstate New York winter and encounters a criminal on the dodge, but eventually determines that there's more to life than taking care of ones self. This is a wonderful tale of self-reliance, responsibility and self-realization.

Merit: Well-written first person coming-of-age subject matter.
Share: Intermediate read-alone or read-along over several sessions.
Appeal: Independence. Ability to cope with hardship.

Anansi the Spider: A Tale from the Ashanti by Gerald McDermott

This is a Coldecott Honor picture book which is an adaptation of an Ashanti Western African tribal folktale. Anansi is a spider with six sons. Each son has his own special abilities and when Anansi gets into trouble on one of his quests, each of his sons performs a task which enables them to rescue their father. Anansi finds a shiny orb of light and determines to award it to one of his sons to express appreciation to that son for his contribution for Anansi's recue. He can't decide which son to reward, though, so he enlists the aid of the god Nyame in his decision, but Nyame determines that they all deserve to enjoy its light, so Nyame sends the orb into the night sky and now all beings everywhere on the Earth can enjoy its light.

Merit: The passing on of folklore. Colorful avant-garde artwork.
Share: Read-to or read-along.
Appeal: Anyone interested in folktales.

Rosie's Walk by Pat Hutchins

A very simple book for presentation to infants with extremely short attention spans. Rosie is a chicken who wanders through a barnyard on her way to dinner with a fox hot on her trail. However, due to several unfortunate (for the fox) mishaps over the course of her trip, she makes it to dinner with the fox heading for the hills. The artwork is interesting but may be a bit too abstract for infants.

Merit: Short and sweet.
Share: Read-to.
Appeal: Funny and simple story. Colorful illustrations.

Tootle: a Little Golden Book by Gertrude Crampton & Tibor Gergely

First printed in 1945, this is the quintessential Little Golden Book. With wimple three-color illustrations and a simple fantasy storyline, this is the story about Tootle, a novice train engine who cherishes a dream of one day becoming a high-speed train. However, he had a tendency to wander off his tracks to gallivant around the fields that neighbor the train tracks he's training on. The town conspires to cure him of this unfortunate propensity, though, and he does indeed eventually realize his dreams.

Merit: Classic tale with simple illustrations to keep the tradition going.
Share: Read-to.
Appeal: Fun fantasy tale. Newer generations may find it harder and harder to connect with the dated technology presented, though.

Franklin is Lost by Paulette Bourgeois & Brenda Clark (Ill)

the text in this illustrated book appears to be meant for transitional reading, but the font size is a little small and the leading amongst the text would render this a challenge to really new readers. The text and size and frequency of illustrations move it in that direction, though. The artwork by Clark is wonderful. Franklin is a turtle who is instructed to be home from playing by supper time. He accidently wanders into the woods--where he has been instructed not to go--and gets lost, though. Mom & Dad eventually track him down, and he promises not to do it again--even accidentally.

Merit: Short and easily followed storyline. Illustrations that caused be to stare at them longer than I intended.
Share: Read-to or read-alone for intermediate transitional.
Appeal: Simple story and wonderful illustrations.

Emergent Readers: Sea Creatures by Pamela Chanko

A non-fiction beginning reader or read-aloud picture book with photographs of common sea critters such as jelly fish and manta rays. The photography is colorful and attention grabbing. Each page is accompanied by descriptions of no more than 4 words.

Merit: Simple format and beautiful photography.
Share: Read-along or read-alone.
Appeal: Interesting subject matter.

Curious George by H. A. Rey

The first of the series that eventually went to a half-dozen or so books. First published in 1941, these have been a staple in many homes for over 70 years now. In the initial volume, George is discovered swinging from the trees in darkest Africa. Being curious, it's easy for the man with the yellow hat to lure him into a trap and takes him home. Still being curious, George proceeds to get into even more trouble there, and even lands himself in the hoosegow. All ends well, though after an escape and an impromptu balloon trip.

Merit: Simple story lines and enjoyable illustrations.
Share: With a plethora of illustrations and much whitespace and large font, this could be either a transitional self-reader or a read-to.
Appeal: Young listeners or young readers.

Meet Benjamin Bunny by Beatrix Potter

A companion board book the Peter Rabbit series by Potter. As with others in the series, easy to hold by an infant, gorgeous and alluring pictures and familiar characters.

Merit: Beautiful illustration. Extremely simple plot for short attention spans.
Share: Read-to.
Appeal: Well-known characters & exceptional illustrations.

The Big Balloon Race by Eleanor Coerr & Carolyn Croll (Ill)

A well-illustrated transitional reader by Reading Rainbow about the Clay family, who pioneered ballooning 19th-century America. Alicia wants to join her mother, Carlotta, on a balloon race, but is informed that she isn't old enough. Alicia sneaks aboard the basket before take-off, and falls asleep, though. After a harrowing start upon being discovered by her mother, Alicia ends up weighing the balloon down, but courageously assists her mother in adjusting for the chance and eventually, Carlotta determines that perhaps Alicia isn't too young to race after all. The illustrations are flat & two-dimensional, but are fun to look at and convey much information.

Merit: Formatted for transitional reading.
Share: Read-alone or along.
Appeal: Interesting storyline. Colorful illustrations.

Thomas and the School Trip by W. Awdry & Owain Bell (Ill)

One of the many Thomas the Tank Engine series. Thomas has the challenge of getting his run finished and back to the station in time to deliver the kids home from school. But Thomas is held up by a flock of sheep crossing the tracks. Saddened at the thought of being too late to take the kids home, he encounters his friend Bertie the Bus, who has broken down on the side of the road near the tracks. But when Bertie asks Thomas to help him out by taking his passengers, Thomas finds that they are--the school kids! This is a simple tale with simple text and primary color illustrations.

Merit: Brightly colored illustrations. Transitional ease of reading for beginners.
Share: Self-read. Read-along.
Appeal: Familiar characters.

Step into Reading: The Headless Horseman by Natalie Standiford & Donald Cook (Ill)

A beginning reader adaptation of the classic American folktale. Icabod Crane maneuvers to court Katrina Van Tassel, but Brom Bones has other ideas. Brom ties to be nice to Icabod, but when Icabod is rude, Brom plans a surprise for him. Or does he? Perhaps the legend of Sleepy Hollow is true and Icabod suffers an encounter with the nefarious Headless Horseman! Simple multi-color pencil drawings accompany the beginning reader text of this adaptation.

Merit: Whitespace, large font and plentiful illustrations render a good beginning, transitional reader rendition of the classic tale.
Share: Read-along or read-from.
Appeal: The ability to read a classic tale to oneself helps the self-esteem of the new reader.

Wait for Me! by Molly Cross & Joe Mathieu (Ill)

A Random House/Sesame Street collaboration about being the smallest in the group. Elmo is disappointed as he has to continually yell, "Wait for me." He has a hard time keeping up with his older friends. And when they take off on a bike ride that he's too small to accompany them on, he's disappointed. An elderly gentleman takes pity on Elmo's sad face and invites him to go to the zoo with him, explaining that sometimes it's nice to take your time and enjoy your day listening to the street bands and feeding the elephants. Elmo's friend returns from his ride and, upon hearing about Elmo's day, tells them that the next time he'd like them to, "Wait for me." The artwork is pencil renditions of the characters from the Sesame Street TV series on PBS.

Merit: A good lesson of encouragement for small kids.
Share: Read-to. Story time.
Appeal: Familiar characters suffering familiar frustrations and a nice possible "slow down & smell the roses" solution.

Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban & Lillian Hoban (Ill)

Frances is a furry animal (a badger by the looks of the illustrations) who absolutely loves bread & jam--for every single meal. She sings little songs about how other food looks and tastes funny to her. Her parents decide to cater to her desires when she trades her packed lunches with other kids for their bread & jam. She eventually determines that this isn't fair when she misses out on one of her favorite dinnertime meals: spaghetti & meatballs. Her parents succumb to her tears and Francis literally starts to sing a different tune. The illustrations are simple pencil drawings with single-color blue shading. The caricatures of Francis and her friends and family are terribly cute.

Merit: A simple but important lesson presented in a simple and entertaining fashion.
Share: Read-to. Not really intended for read-along.
Appeal: Sympathetic situations, delightful songs and cute illustrations.

Paul Bunyan by Brian Gleeson (adapt) & Rick Meyerowitx (Ill)

The copy I obtained was the 1990 Golden Book updated version. The book contained wonderful illustrations accompanying an entertaining vernacular first person rendition of the tall tales of Paul and his eight-ton blue ox, Babe. The trials and imaginative over-the-top solutions afforded by the bigger-than-life characters--like fashioning an acre-and-a-half-sized griddle for feed several thousand loggers clearing the Dakota Territory for settling--are accompanied by an updated ending where Paul trudges off into the wilderness to plant more trees to replace the ones that he and his cronies removed, thereby giving the classic story an updated, more politically correct tone for more modern environmental sentiments.

Merit: Classic tales which should continue to be told for cultural reasons.
Share: Read-to. Include with mythology and folklore.
Appeal: Tall tales with great entertainment value for young readers who thrill in the excitement of characters who are even bigger than their adult caretakers.

Cat in the Hat Comes Back by Dr. Seuss

The sequel to the original. The Cat is now accompanied by Little Cats A through Z. The trademark three color Geisel illustrations and rhyming verse have attracted kids and adults alike to these books for over fifty years now. In this title the child is treated not only to easy text to read along with that aids pronunciation through rhyme, but is also treated to the continued antics of the trouble-making feline and his original solutions to those troubles. Cats with names A to Z reinforce alphabet memorization. And, of course, all ends well.

Merit: Simple illustrations and rhyming text provide an excellent transition for the child from being read to to reading.
Share: Read-to or be read to.
Appeal: Silly Cat antics provide entertainment to lighten the load of beginning readers.

Worse than Rotten, Ralph by Jack Gantos & Nicole Rubel (Ill)

Ralph is left to recuperate after a night on the town. Unfortunately, he's taunted by some alley cats as he lounges in the hammock. He determines that he will show them what he's good at: being rotten. They make trouble throughout the neighborhood and end up at home, where he discovers it's nice to have a loving owner in Sarah.

Merit: Morality tale about peer pressure.
Share: Read aloud.
Appeal: Beginning readers & pre-readers.

Adventures of Frog and Toad (3 books) by Arnold Lobel

I examined a combination book with three previously published books in it: "Frog & Toad are Friends", "Frog & Toad Together" and "Days with Frog and Toad". First published in 1970, the Frog & Toad series of books were some of the first transitional books in print. With wide margins, large font and additional whitespace to aid the concentration of the beginning reader, these books were easier to red than typical chapter books, but provide a sense of achievement for the earlier reader. The simple stories of devotion and friendship, accompanied by delightful three-color pencil illustrations provide images to reinforce the reader's interpretation of new words just being sounded out. I have to confess that I felt a little sorry for Toad upon re-reading the stories, though, for he seems to often be the butt of Frog's deceit. Both the sad image of him being laughed at as he climbed out of the river and the accompanying text left me felling rather sorry for him. But he seemed to take it in stride as he walked home with a smirk on his face.

Merit: A format well suited for beginning transitional  readers.
Share: Read-along or allow the child to read to the adult, which would provide both assistance to the reader if need be as well as pride for the reader.
Appeal: Pleasant illustrations. Simple and enjoyable stories.

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White & Garth Williams (Ill)

The timeless classic that continues to enthrall young readers going into its seventh decade in print. The simple story of farm girl Fern and her relationship with a precocious spider, Charlotte and lovable pig Wilbur. Many other barnyard animals populate the story as well as Fern and Charlotte plot to save Wilbur from his intended fate. Kids have thrilled to these characters, whom they can readily develop empathy with; adults can either reminisce about farm life, or imagine it themselves. As America's population grows farther and farther away from farm life, the story still holds a fond simplicity which will, hopefully, never fade away completely.

Merit: Sympathetic character study. Warm relationships and a touch of coming-of-age.
Share: Read-along or read-aloud over several sessions.
Appeal: An imaginative approach to friendship and devotion to those friends.

The Beast by R.L. Stine

R.L. Stine has written a plethora of spooky books for intermediate readers for years, including the immensely popular "Goosebumps" series. This addition is set at King's Island outside of Cincinnati, Ohio, where the longest wooden roller coaster, christened "The Beast" is visited late in the day by a couple of youngsters when the park closes and mysterious things start to happen. These books are very appealing to youngsters who like to check under their beds before they go to sleep at night, and this title doesn't disappoint. With his active imagination and dry sense of humor, Stine provides semi-scary stories without them getting overly frightening for the 8-10-year-olds who gravitate to them.

Merit: A little scary, but not overly do for younger readers. A decent dose of humor to take the edge off. No real social merit.
Share: Read-along, read-aloud. The author's name does most of the work.
Appeal: Young readers who want something exciting to read.

fire: Tales of Elemental Spirits by Robin McKinley & Peter Dickinson

Five short stories--actually 4 short stories and a novella--from McKinley & Dickinson to follow-up on their previous collection entitled "Water". The common thread through the stories is fantastical creatures who gain their magical power through one of the four elements of ancient Greece: water, fire, air and earth. This collection has stories of various creatures from phoenixes through hell hounds to dragons. The stories are well imagined, but lack any sort of coherence apart from the 'fire' motif. I find it difficult to imagine kids from 12-18 being enamored of the material, though it's certainly written to that age group and the content is appropriate for it. I found it difficult to get interested in the stories, as well as the character, both imagined and human.

Merit: Imaginative creatures in short-story format.
Share: I probably wouldn't volunteer the material, but would provide my thoughts if asked.
Appeal: Fans of prior works--maybe.

The Pigman by Paul Zindel

YA classic first published in 1968. An interesting two person first-person account of the friendship between a couple of teenagers and an older man--nicknamed The Pigman by  the kids as a play on his real surname: Pignati. The relationship begins from a prank by the teens to get some money from the old man selected somewhat randomly from the phone book. He doesn't seem to mind the sham, but simply appreciated the gaining of a new acquaintance. Affection between the three evolves and a new understanding of maturity develops in the youngsters as a pleasure from sharing his life grows in the old man, The Pigman.

Merit: Original concept, especially considering it is considered by many to be the first young adult novel. Characters the reader quickly develops empathy for, both young and old.
Share: Summer reading list. Perhaps read-along since it's only 180 pages long.
Appeal: Coming-of-age, reality based. Teen struggle for legitimacy in the world.

Zoo's Who by Douglas Florian

Poetry & paintings by Florian introducing different wild animals around the world and in the seas. The art is a little advanced for young recipients of the material. Some of the made-up words like "penguinsulation" may cause readers to stumble and cause interruptions in the flow of the narrative.

Merit: the poems are short and mostly entertaining.
Share: Read to? Not sure I would.
Appeal: Prior appreciators of his work.

What's So Bad About Gasoline? by Anne Rockwell & Paul Meisel

What fossil fuels are, what they've been used for over the past several thousand years and their environmental impact are the main messages of this book. It's pre-BP, so it'll be interesting to see whether they come out with a revised copy. Simple text and colorful illustrations help present this ultimately fearful subject.

Merit: Easy text & colorful illustrations.
Share: Read to or read-along.
Appeal: An important subject for future generations.

The Magic School Bus On the Ocean Floor by Joanna Cole & Bruce Degen (Ill)

The mystical vehicle makes an expedition to the depths of the ocean. A mixture of fantasy and factual data, the series provides an entertaining twist to presenting scientific information to young audiences. How often does one get a chance to look at a tube worm through a school bus window, after all?

Merit: Entertaining premise & illustrations make swallowing factual data more palatable.
Share: Read aloud or read-along. End caps in the non-fiction section.
Appeal: Icky subjects (worms!) and a wild-and-crazy field trip.

Hurricanes! by Gail Gibbons

A non-fiction picture book containing the definitions of, classification of, history of and preparation for hurricanes. Very informative and written at a level easy to follow for intermediate readers & accompanied by definitions of terms. Artwork is simple but effective. Even the "technical illustrations" are informative and easy to interpret.

Merit: Factual & up-to-date (Katrina) without being dry or boring.
Share: End-cap displays during the Spring hurricane season.
Appeal: Exciting subject as is any that threatens human safety.

How to Clean a Hippopotamus by Steve Jenkins & Robin Page (Ill)

A non-fiction picture book about symbiotic relationships animals develop in the wild. The child can learn that very different animals (and people?) can gain advantages by cooperating and tolerating each other. From grooming, to safety to health maintenance, many animals are helped by others--some of them one would never put together from wildest imaginings. Like a small bird in the mouth of a crocodile! The artwork is wonderful, but seems a bit subdued--perhaps to assist in the educational v. entertainment presentation of the book?

Merit: Educational, interesting & entertaining.
Share: A bit long for read-aloud unless perhaps over several sessions. Good for beginning readers.
Appeal: Interesting animals such as crocodiles & sharks.

Awful Ogre Running Wild by Jack Prelutsky & Paul O. Zelinski (Ill)

A collection of poems about the summer of an awful ogre. The illustrations are wonderful with many things for a child to look at and look for over-and-over. This would be an excellent book to read to a young child as he or she wanders through his or her childhood getting in trouble and making messes. And even Awful Ogre goes to visit his grandma every now-and-again.

Merit: Rhymes aid in children's recognition of words. Illustrations give them plenty to consider and enjoy.
Share: A bit long for story time, but a good bedtime story.
Appeal: Messy and disgusting, ogres are fun to observe, though maybe not run into.

Twilight Series (4 books) by Stephanie Meyer

Bella is a girl moving from her mom's home in Phoenix, AZ to her dad's in Forks, WA. She does this to free her mom to pursue a new life with her new husband. In Forks, she encounters an interesting family of extraordinarily beautiful people among which is a boy she develops a keen interest in. A strained relationship evolves wherein a special attribute of his parallels the strain felt by all young lovers with regard to sex and defining what a relationship actually involves. In the latter books, Bella must learn to handle learning that her best friend is a shape-shifting wolf creature (not a werewolf, as is explained in the 4th book), that his Native American clan is a natural enemy to her boy friend, and try to be a peace-keeping influence on everyone as problems develop due to her stubborn insistence on being part of these disparate groups. Three of the books have been made into a movie and the fourth will come out as two movies over the next couple of years (2011 & 2012).

Books: 1) Twilight; 2) New Moon; 3) Eclipse and 4) Breaking Dawn.

Merit: Good plot and character development. Interesting subjects to teens. Fantasy elements for enhancement to interests.
Share: Word-of-mouth. This series has already taken off and need merely keep up with demand.
Appeal: Sex, love, monsters, weird relationships… The list goes on-and-on.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

This is an interesting little book about a boy who is delivered to a graveyard as a toddler and is then raised by ghosts. The man who killed his parents is looking for him, though, and his adoptive parents along with other ghosts and entities in the Graveyard must prepare him for any future encounters with this ever-so-tenacious nemesis.

Merit: Fascinating premise. Easy to read.
Share: Book clubs & reading lists.
Appeal: Intermediate readers. Boys & girls.

The Hunger Games Series (2 books so far) by Suzanne Collins

This ultra-popular series follows the exploits of a young girl, Katniss Everdeen, in a post-apocalyptic North America. Amidst the action and adventure is also mingled a love triangle (including male participant in the games, Peeta) and political unrest. The inner workings of a young girl's mind with respect to relationships with the opposite sex and the bizarre nature of romance is particularly intriguing. In book 2, "Catching Fire," Katniss is required again to perform in the Hunger Games due to a twist in the rules by the rulers in the Capital. Rumors of unrest in the other districts are filtering in as she and Peeta prepare to re-enter the games' 75th anniversary. Contrary to the prior year's games, they are encouraged to cast alliances with other players this time.

Movie rights have been acquired by Lionsgate & is due out in 2011. 800,000 copies are currently (7/2010) in print.

Books: 1) The Hunger Games; 2) Catching Fire and 3) Mockingjay [due out 8/10].

Merit: Very readable. Even addictive. Some political science which could be utilized in Social Studies classes.
Share: Book club. Movie.
Appeal: All young adults due to A/A & developing romance.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chlblonsky

Written as first person communication to a mysterious recipient, this book chronicles a year in the life of Charlie. Starting out as a daily accounts of a lonely boy's freshman year in high school, he eventually grows more aggressive in his relationships as well as his prose. We readers are moved from sympathy to frustration to fear of our protagonist as he navigates the treacherous waters of puberty. This is an engrossing piece, but not for everyone.

Merit: Easy to follow inventory of the pitfalls of being a younger sibling and wrestling with young maturity.
Share: Book list. Probably not required reading, but good bonus material.
Appeal: Early to mid puberty. Mostly for males, but girls will find it engrossing as well.

Cheater Pants by Barbara Park

My first foray into the world of Junie B. Jones. Junie learns a lesson about honesty and forthrightness. The language is enjoyable and Junie's grammar is funny. I wonder if young readers catch all of it. Her classmate's personalities are wonderful & recognizable.

Merit: Entertaining, easy to read.
Share: Read aloud.
Appeal: Young kids.

Harry Potter Series (7 books) by J. K. Rowling

The über popular seven-book and eight-movie franchise. Harry is a boy who is left on the doorstep of his aunt & uncle when he's a year old. Raised an outcast by his adopted family, Harry finds a place where he belongs when he receives an invitation to attend school at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry. The series matures as Harry does: the first books are written to the pre- to early-adolescent crowd; the latter in the series moving toward Young Adult fiction with more mature writing style and challenges with dark powers & personnel. Harry is born with a powerful nemesis in Lord Voldemort, a wizard who has already attempted world-of-wizardry domination once and is rumored to be coming back for another go at it. Harry is a the tousle-haired wizard with a muggle-born mother (born to normal, non-wizarding parents but is herself a witch)  and wizard father. Yet as the series progresses, it appears that he may be the wizard best suited to challenge He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named (for you see, he's so scary that most witches & wizards won't ever utter his name) should the rumors prove true.

Challenged by being raised in what most consider to be an un-wizard-like fashion, and completely spurned by his "normal" stepfamily, Harry encounters racial prejudice in every direction, but he is eventually mentored by the School's headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, who believes that Harry is protected by the love and devotion of his real parents & the devotion he gradually garners toward his friends Hermione & Ron at Hogwarts. The story evolves from childish adventures to one of love, compassion and tolerance in an intolerant world.

Books: 1) The Sorcerer's Stone; 2) The Chamber of Secrets; 3) The Prisoner of Azkaban; 4) The Goblet of Fire; 5) The Order of the Phoenix; 6) The Half-blood Prince and 7) The deathly Hallows.

Merit: Well written with plenty of action and teen angst for the YA crowd.
Share: Meer introduction should do the trick.
Appeal: Set at a school of witchcraft provides both identification and fantasy.

Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More by Roald Dahl

Seven short stories by the venerable author of such classics as "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "James and the Giant Peach." Three are non-fiction: "Lucky Break" is autobiographical and chronicles the author's start in writing; "The Mildenhall Treasure" is an about a collection of valuable cutlery which was almost pilfered from the owner by a nefarious neighbor and "A Piece of Cake" is the author's first published work about his experience in the Royal Air Force during World War Two. The other pieces are short works of fiction. The title piece is a delightful tale of a greedy man who teaches himself to see through solid objects so that he can see other players' cards and his evolution into a selfless man who secretly practices philanthropy as he grows older.

Merit: Of biographical interest and typically delightful fiction.
Share: Read "The Hitchhiker", the shortest piece.
Appeal: Targeted toward intermediate, but enjoyable by all ages.

Going Bovine by Libba Bray

This year's Printz winner about a boy who thinks he's losing it and finds out he's suffering from mad cow disease. A hilarious and ridiculously fast-paced story with enjoyable and sympathetic characters. And not a small amount of social commentary. A lot of action and a little romance. Asks the question: Are we all a little nuts?

Merit: Well written  and excellent pacing.
Share: Read first chapter. Book club.
Appeal: Young adults, both male & female.

Deadline by Chris Crutcher

A first-person coming-of-age tale with sports, family and death intermingled. Ben, of Trout, Idaho, has received bad news about his health and decides to keep it to himself--which he can do since he's over 18--and go out with a bang. He encounters several interesting revelations about friends and family--and life--as he goes through his final months of high school.

Merit: Easy to read. Well written. Identifiable for the most part, though the main premise is a bit of a stretch.
Share: Read first chapter. Book club.
Appeal: Intermediate to YA. Male & female, though probably most enjoyed by males.

Charles & Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman

Printz winner about the trials and tribulations about Charles Darwin & his wife--and first cousin--Emma during the first half of the 19th century. As he works toward publishing his seminal "The Origin of Species," he must also wrestle with his wife's and time's religious beliefs as well as the health and well being of his 10 children.

Merit: Loaded with factual information about a man who most of the world knows only as a bearded and famous older gentleman.
Share: Book club. Read first chapter.
Appeal: Broad appeal. Mostly female interest due to family & romantic content.

An American Plague: The True & Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 by Jim Murphy

A very entertaining and imminently readable account of the disease which plagued Philadelphia in the late 18th century and its aftermath. Follow up accounts of later epidemics and efforts to prevent future outbreaks illustrate the evolution of medical research over the following two centuries. Warnings about the continued existence of insect-borne disease are also present.

Merit: Educational and entertaining.
Share: Read first chapter.
Appeal: Intermediate, male & female.

More Stories Julian Tells by Ann Cameron & Ann Strugnell (Ill)

Julian is a boy who shares domestic tales which he experiences with his younger brother and good neighbor friend, Gloria. The stories and artwork are delightful.

Merit: Stories any child can identify with.
Share: Read aloud.
Appeal: Beginning readers.

The Carrot Seed by Ruth Crauss & Crockett Johnson (Ill)

A picture book about a boy who plants a carrot seed which no one believes will sprout. He diligently tends to it until it finally does.

Merit: A tale of perseverance and diligence.
Share: Read aloud.
Appeal: Simple and contains the same portraiture art as the author's "Harold & the Purple Crayon".

A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond

A classic which suffers little from its age. Paddington is an immigrant bear from "Darkest Peru." He talks, carries a suitcase and is extremely well mannered. He is taken in by a well-to-do British family and enjoys many adventures. His messiness and ability to always come out okay from his mishaps has been enjoyed by youths for over forty years.

Merit: Simple language & enjoyable domestic adventures are easy to identify with.
Share: Read-along and/or book club.
Appeal: Beginning readers to intermediate.

Liar by Justine Larbalestier

An interesting tale of a young girl who wrestles with the death of a friend. The story goes along somewhat predictably, though the protagonist suffers some disillusionment. A surprise ending left me somewhat disenchanted, but it will no doubt intrigue young people in today's mysticism and monster environment.

Merit: Well written & easy to follow for the most part.
Share: Read a chapter or two.
Appeal: Young adults both male & female.

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

A completely different form of YA fiction. A memoir of the childhood recollections of an old man who has recently died. He was once the apprentice to a 'Monstrumologist,' or an educated man who studies actual monsters. It's set in the late 19th century, is filled with 19th language and rather gruesome scenes of monstrous gore. The characters are completely believable and the plot simply flies. Watch out for the plethora of multisyllabic and Byzantine language, though.

Merit: Well written, though much advanced vocabulary for the typical teen.
Share: Display. The book has a fascinating cover.
Appeal: Young adults. Predominantly males due to content.

Frida by Jonah Winter & Ana Juan (Ill)

A short, illustrated biography of Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo, a Mexican artist. About her hard life and how art helped her cope. The artwork is 3-D like and reminiscent of the work of Tim Burton.

Merit: Facts about the hardships in life & coping mechanisms.
Share: Story time, display. Young children.
Appeal: Interesting art and subject.

The Nine Lives of Rotten Ralph by Jack Gantos & Nicole Rubel (Ill)

Something's wrong with Ralph. After a visit to the vet, it appears that he's on his last of nine lives. Sarah puts him on a strict regimen to ensure he doesn't loose his last life. He decides that living life is still important, so he shan't be too good.

Merit: A balance between safe and alive is important.
Share: Story time. Young people.
Appeal: Be nice, but have fun.

Worse Than Rotten, Ralph by Jack Gantos & Nicole Rubel (Ill)

Ralph is left to recuperate after a night on the town. Unfortunately, he's taunted by some alley cats as he lounges in the hammock. He determines that he will show them what he's good at: being rotten. They make trouble throughout the neighborhood and end up at home, where he discovers it's nice to have a loving owner in Sarah.

Merit: Morality tale about peer pressure.
Share: Read aloud.
Appeal: Beginning readers & pre-readers.

Rotten Ralph by Jack Gantos & Nicole Rubel (Ill)

The inaugural book on Rotten Ralph narrates the resultant abandonment to the zoo when he misbehaves too much. It illustrates the consequences of poor behavior, but also shows that forgiveness and second chances are nice to have.

Merit: Mistakes are normal, but consequences must be dealt with.
Share: Story time. Young kids.
Appeal: Life preparation. Right from wrong.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

A young girl notices wolfs on the back of her parent's property in Minnesota and becomes involved with one of them, who turns out to be a werewolf. She develops a relationship with him, and they experience difficulties with a recently added member of the pack & his human sister. I found the story easy to get involved in, even after being disappointed by the fact that it was yet-another-werewolf story. Character development is very good. I found myself caring about them--all of them.

Merit: Easy to read. Sympathetic characters.
Share: Good for a YA reading group.
Appeal: Coming-of-age. Emerging Vampire/Werewolf genre.

Percy Jackson & The Olympians Series (5 books) by Rick Riordan

This immensely popular five-book series follows the exploits of Perseus Jackson, who is named after the Classical Greek hero. As it turns out, Percy himself is a demigod, the son of a mortal mother and a father who happens to be the Greek god Poseidon (Neptune in Roman mythology). After he discovers this fact in the first book, he finds himself in a quagmire of adventures against monsters like Medusa, minor gods like Pan, and a pet Hellhound named Mrs. O'Leary. With chapter titles like "I Drive My Dog into a Tree" and pithy statements through the books like, "Her kitchen smelled like my sixth-grade gym locker. And that isn't good…" this series it at once entertaining and--somewhat--educational. The adventures get a little repetitious, but we never tire of reading them and seeing what mess Percy & his friends will get into, and perhaps even more entertaining, how they get out of it.

Although Percy ages from twelve to sixteen (where an ominous prophesy is supposed to bode ill for the entire world), the writing style remains essentially the same, so the entire series can be enjoyed sequentially by young readers.

Books: 1) The Lightning Thief; 2) the Sea of Monsters; 3) The Titan's Curse; 4) The Battle of the Labyrinth and 5) The Last Olympian.

Merit: Exciting & humorous action. Learning about responsibility & how confusing members of the opposite sex can be.
Share: Discussion group with other books in the series.
Appeal: Action. Coming-of-age. Fantasy.

Hole in My Life by Jack Gantos

Non-fiction account of author's experience in his youth with drugs, alcohol & prison. I found his explanations of his experiences with smuggling and incarceration interesting. But more important, I found his inventory of his feelings about his life and the evolution of his feeling of self-worth and confirmation of his constant desire to write particularly inspiring.

Merit: Face up to your mistakes. Try to be true to yourself.
Share: Present as a sort of self-help to young people with aspirations.
Appeal: Fans of the author will enjoy the autobiography. Everyone can gain from the self-evaluation.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. Hugo is an abandoned 12-year-old in a Paris train station. He works on repairing an old automaton his deceased father found. He must steal to survive. He has adventurers with the goddaughter of one of the vendors in the. Station & eventually discovers that her godfather is the film maker who invented it after he fixes it & it draws a scene from one of his movies.

Merit: Mix of art & prose is alluring.

Share: Intermediate. Read first chapter or two.

Appeal: The inclusion of art makes the length of the book manageable for a hesitant reader.

Rotten Ralph's Rotten Romance by Jack Gantos

Rotten Ralph's rotten romance by Jack Gantos & Nicole Rubel. Sarah takes Ralph to a valentines day party & he behaves poorly to ward off hugs & kisses from anyone but Sarah.

Merit: Everyone needs love, bright artwork.

Share: Picture time & display in Feb.

Appeal: Humor & mischief.