Books Read in 2009

Toddler Bible by Bethan James and Yorgus Sgouros. 2008.
How Do I Love You? by Marion Dane Bauer. (Pub Jan 2009)
I'm A Happy Hugglewug by Niamh Sharkey 2009.
Books are for eating reading. by Suzy Becker. 2009. (Jan 2009)
Duck & Goose: How are you feeling? by Tad Hills. 2009. (Jan 2009)
Planet Earth: Baby Penguins by Scholastic. 2009
My First Garden. 2009. Simon & Schuster
Baby Bible: Stories About Jesus. Currie, Robin. 2004.
Beautiful Babies by Karma Wilson. 2009. Simon & Schuster.
Shake It Up, Baby by Karen Katz. 2009. Simon & Schuster.
My Dance Recital by Maryann Cocca-Leffler. 2009. Random House.
Pajama Mamas by Kate Spohn. Random House. 2009. Random House.
Jacob Lawrence In the City by Susan Goldman Rubin. 2009. Chronicle Books.
Magritte's Imagination. By Susan Goldman Rubin. 2009. Chronicle Books.
In My Pond by Sara Gillingham. Chronicle Books. 2009.
Lullaby and Good Night. Illustrated by Janet Samuel. 2008. Scholastic.
The Giant Jam Sandwich by John Vernon Lord and Janet Burroway. 1972 (picture book version); this board book edition 2009) Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton. 1942. (picture book version; this board book 2009). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Bow-Wow's Colorful Life. Mark Newgarden & Megan Montague Cash. 2009. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Bow-Wow 12 Months Running. Mark Newgarden & Megan Montague Cash. 2009. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
My Mother Is Mine by Marion Dane Bauer. Little Simon (Simon & Schuster) 2009.
I Love Fall!: A Touch and Feel Board Book by Alison Inches. Simon & Schuster. 2009.
Where is Baby's Beach Ball? A Lift the Flap Book. Karen Katz. 2009. Simon & Schuster.
The Birthday Box. Leslie Patricelli. 2009. Candlewick Press.
Fisher-Price: Snuggly Time. A "Soft to Touch" Book. HarperCollins. 2009.
Helen Oxenbury's All Fall Down/Clap Hands/Say Goodnight/Tickle, Tickle. 2009. Simon & Schuster.
Lucy Cousin's Maisy Dual-Language Books: Maisy's Clothes, Maisy's Food, Maisy's Animals, Maisy's Toys. 2009. Candlewick Press.
Sweet Dreams, Maisy. Lucy Cousins. Candlewick Press. 2009.
Maisy's Snowy Christmas Eve. Lucy Cousins. Candlewick Press. 2009.
Merry Christmas. Susan Leigh. Concordia Press. 2006.

What is God Like by Beverly Lewis. 2008.
Froggy Green by Anna Walker. 2009.
Thank You, God! Illustrated by Sophie Allsopp. 2009.
Questions from Little Hearts by Kathleen Long Bostrom. Illustrated by Elena Kucharik. 2009 (Feb Pub)
Never Talk to Strangers. by Irma Joyce. Illustrated by George Buckett. 1967/2009.
The Adventures of a Plastic Bottle --no author listed-- 2009. Little Simon/Little Green. Simon & Schuster.
Knitty Kitty by David Elliott. 2008
All God's Critters by Bill Staines. Illustrated by Kadir Nelson. Simon & Schuster. 2009.
My People by Langston Hughes. Photographs by Charles R. Smith, Jr. Simon & Schuster. 2009.
What a Good Big Brother by Diane Wright Landolf. Illustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher. Random House. 2009.
Cat by Matthew Van Fleet. Photographs by Brian Stanton. 2009. (February 2009). Simon & Schuster.
Jazz On a Saturday Night by Leo & Diane Dillon. 2007. Blue Sky Press.
This Jazz Man by Karen Ehrhardt. 2006. Harcourt.
A Mighty Fine Time Machine by Suzanne Bloom. 2009. (March 2009). Boyds Mills Press.
Lovey and Dovey by Ellevan Lieshout and Erik van Os. 2009. Boyds Mills Press.
Wee Little Lamb by Lauren Thompson. 2009. Simon & Schuster.
He's Got The Whole World In His Hands. Illustrated by Kadir Nelson. 2005. Dial Books.
Rent Party Jazz by William Miller. 2001. Lee & Low Books.
Punk Farm by Jarrett J. Krosoczka. 2005. Knopf
Mama Don't Allow by Thacher Hurd. 1984. HarperCollins
Punk Farm On Tour by Jarret J. Krosoczka. 2007. Knopf
Ella's Big Chance by Shirley Hughes. 2003.
Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb by Al Perkins. 1969. Random House.
Love That Puppy! by Jeff Jarka. 2009. (May publication) Henry Holt.
Stuck in the Mud by Jane Clarke. 2008. Walker Books.
I Got Two Dogs by John Lithgow. 2008. Illustrated by Robert Neubecker. Simon & Schuster.
Old MacNoah Had An Ark by Sally Lloyd-Jones. 2008. Harper Blessings.
The Night Before St. Patrick's Day by Natasha Wing. Penguin. 2009.
Chicken Soup by Jean Van Leeuwen. Illustrated by David Gavril. Harry N. Abrams. 2009. (May)
Scaredy Squirrel at Night by Melanie Watt. Kids Can Press. 2009. (February)
Little Oink by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. 2009. Chronicle Books.
Big Rabbit's Bad Mood. Ramona Badescu. 2009. Illustrated by Delphine Durand. Chronicle Books.
Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. 2009. Chronicle Books.
Wee Little Chick by Lauren Thompson. 2008. Simon & Schuster. Illustrated by John Butler.
Tiny & Hercules by Amy Schwartz. 2009. Roaring Brooks.
Hello Tilly by Polly Dunbar. Candlewick. 2008.
Happy Hector by Polly Dunbar. Candlewick. 2008.
Pretty Pru by Polly Dunbar. Candlewick. 2009.
Where's Tumpty? by Polly Dunbar. Candlewick. 2009.
Yes Day by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. 2009. HarperCollins.
Ten Days and Nine Nights by Yumi Heo. 2009. Random House.
Grizzly Dad by Joanna Harrison. 2009. Random House.
Sugar Would Not Eat It by Emily Jenkins. 2009. Random House.
Crocodaddy by Kim Norman. 2009. Sterling.
A Small Surprise by Louise Yates. 2009. Knopf
Being A Pig Is Nice by Sally Lloyd Jones. 2009. Random House.
The Imaginary Garden by Andrew Lardsen. 2009. Kids Can Press.
Stanley's Beauty Contest by Linda Bailey. 2009. Kids Can Press.
My Uncle Emily by Jane Yolen. 2009. Penguin.
Edward and the Eureka Lucky Wish Company. Barbara Todd. 2009. Kids Can Press.
Do You Want A Friend? by Noel Piper. 2009. Crossway.
Princess Pig. Eileen Spinelli. Illustrated by Tim Bowers. 2009. Knopf (Random House)
1000 Times No. Mr. Tom Warburton. 2009. HarperCollins.
Mousie Love by Dori Chaconas. Illustrated by Josee Masse. 2009. Bloomsbury.
Itty Bitty by Cece Bell. 2009. Candlewick.
Maisy Goes To Preschool. Lucy Cousins. 2009. Candlewick
Gone With The Wand. Margie Palatini. 2009. Illustrations by Brian Ajhar. Scholastic.
Rattletrap Car by Phyllis Root. Illustrated by Jill Barton. 2001. Candlewick Press.
Tonka Phonics Reading Program (12 Mini-Books, Flashcards) 2007. Scholastic
When I Grow Up. Leonid Gore. 2009. Scholastic.
My Dad and Me by Alyssa Satin Capucilli. 2009. Simon & Schuster.
When Papa Comes Home Tonight. 2009. Simon & Schuster

My Father The Dog by Elizabeth Bluemle. 2006. Candlewick Press.

A Day With Dad by Bo R. Holmberg. 2008. Candlewick Press.

Hook. Ed Young. 2009. Roaring Brook Press.

Egg Drop by Mini Grey. 2009. Random House.

Tsunami by Kimiko Kajikawa. Illustrated by Ed Young. Penguin. 2009.
Dogs on the Bed by Elizabeth Bluemle. Candlewick. 2008.
Dog Day by Sarah Hayes. 2008. FSG.
Critter Sitter by Chuck Richards. 2008. Walker (Bloomsbury)
Bad Dog, Marley by John Grogan. 2007. HarperCollins
Really Truly Bingo by Laura McGee Kvasnosky. Candlewick Press. 2008.
Finding Susie by Sandra Day O'Connor. 2009. Random House.
Natalie & Naughtily by Vincent X. Kirsch. 2008. Bloomsbury.
Peanut by David Lucas. 2008. Candlewick.
Crazy Hair by Neil Gaiman. 2009. HarperCollins.
The Zoo I Drew by Todd H. Doodler. 2009. Random House.
God Found Us You by Lisa Tawn Bergren. 2009. HarperCollins.
How To Make A Cherry Pie and See the U.S.A. by Marjorie Priceman. 2008. Random House.
Norman Rockwell: You're A Grand Old Flag. 2008. Lyrics by George M. Cohan. Art by Norman Rockwell. Simon & Schuster.
My Parents Are Divorced, My Elbows Have Nicknames, And Other Facts About Me. Bill Cochran. Illustrated by Steve Bjorkman. 2009. HarperCollins.
The Grumpy Dump Truck by Brie Spangler. 2009. Random House.
It's A Secret by John Burningham. 2009. Candlewick Press.
How To Get Married by Me The Bride. Sally Lloyd-Jones. 2009. Random House.
Maybe A Bear Ate It by Robie H. Harris. 2008. Scholastic.
Me and You by Genevieve Cote. 2009. Kids Can Press.
The Delicious Bug by Janet Perlman. 2009. Kids Can Press.
Monsters Don't Eat Broccoli. Barbara Jean Hicks. 2009. Random House.
Lulu's Pajamas. Lucie Papineau. 2009. Kids Can Press.
The True Story of Little Red Riding Hood by Agnese Baruzzi. 2009. Candlewick Press.
The True Story of Goldilocks. Agnese Baruzzi. 2009. Candlewick Press.
Wilson and Miss Lovely by John Stadler. 2009.
I Don't Want To Go To School by Stephanie Blake. 2009. Random House.
Big Bear Hug. Nicholas Oldland. 2009. Kids Can Press.
Come Back Soon by Daniel Schallau. 2009. Houghton Mifflin.
Christian the Lion. Anthony Bourke and John Rendall. 2009. Henry Holt.
What is the Bible? by Kathleen Long Bostrom. 2009. Tyndale.
Who Made the World? by Kathleen Long Bostrom. 2009. Tyndale.
The Little Dump Truck. Margery Cuyler. 2009. Illustrated by Bob Kolar. Henry Holt.
One Dragon's Dream by Peter Pavey. 1978/2009. Candlewick Press.
The Tiger Who Came To Tea by Judith Kerr. 1968/2009. Candlewick Press.
Kisses on the Wind by Lisa Moser. 2009. Candlewick Press. Illustrated by Kathryn Brown.
Mortimer's First Garden. Karma Wilson. 2009. Simon & Schuster. Illustrated by Dan Andreasen.
I Spy Fly Guy! Tedd Arnold. 2009. Scholastic. (Early Reader) 30 pages.
Archie and the Pirates. Marc Rosenthal. 2009. HarperCollins.
A Walk Down Sesame Street. 2009. Candlewick Press (Pop-Up/Novelty.) 16 pages.
Baby Polar by Yannick Murphy. 2009. Clarion Books.
Creature ABC by Andrew Zuckerman. 2009. Chronicle Books.
I Don't Want A Posh Dog by Emma Dodd. 2009. Little, Brown.
Duck and Cover. Jackie Urbanovic. 2009. HarperCollins.
My Elephant. Petr Horacek. 2009. Candlewick Press.
The Legend of Ninja Cowboy Bear. David Bruins and Hilary Leung. 2009. Kids Can Press.
Under the Star: A Christmas Counting Story. Jane Yolen. Illustrated by Vlasta van Kampen. Key Porter Kids.
The Seeing Stick. Jane Yolen. Illustrated by Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini. Running Press.
Pumpkin Baby by Jane Yolen. Illustrated by Susan Mitchell. Key Porter Kids.
Rhyming Dust Bunnies by Jan Thomas. 2009. Simon & Schuster.
Here Comes The Big, Mean Dust Bunny! by Jan Thomas. 2009. Simon & Schuster.
The Scarecrow's Dance. Jane Yolen. 2009. Simon & Schuster.
God Gave Us Love. Lisa Tawn Bergren. 2009. Waterbrook Press.
God Gave Us Christmas. Lisa Tawn Bergren. 2006. Waterbrook Press.
The House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne. Illustrated by Ernest H. Shepard. 1928.
Clementine's Letter by Sara Pennypacker. 2008.
A Horn for Louis by Eric Kimmel. 2005.
Sword of the Ramurai. by Becky Ances. Illustrated by Ryan Wilson. 2008. 70 pages
Everyday Prayers edited by Jennifer Frantz. 2008. Early Reader. (Harper Blessings) 24 pages
Bedtime Prayers edited by Jennifer Frantz. 2008. Early Reader (Harper Blessings) 24 pages
The Composer is Dead by Lemony Snicket. HarperCollins. 2009.
Joe and Sparky Get New Wheels by Jamie Michalak. 2009. Candlewick Press. (Early Reader)
Zelda and Ivy: Keeping Secrets by Laura McGee Kvasnosky. 2009. Candlewick Press. (Early Reader)
No Kisses, Please! by Hans Wilhelm. 2004. (Paperback release 2009) (Early Reader) Scholastic
Houndsley and Catina: Plink and Plunk. 2009. (April 2009) (Hardback) (Early Reader) Candlewick Press.
Dragon's Fat Cat by Dav Pilkey. 1992. Scholastic. 48 pages.
Cranky Paws (Pet Vet #1) by Darrel & Sally Odgers. 2009. Kane/Miller. 87 pages.
Horrid Henry by Francesca Simon. 2009. Sourcebooks. 90 pages.
Horrid Henry Tricks the Tooth Fairy by Francesca Simon. 2009. Sourcebooks. 90 pages.
Horrid Henry and the Mega-Mean Time Machine by Francesca Simon. 2009. Sourcebooks. 88 pages.
Horrid Henry's Stinkbomb by Francesca Simon. 2009. Sourcebooks. 78 pages.
To Catch A Mermaid by Suzanne Selfors. 2007. Little, Brown Young Readers. 246 pages.
Mommy's Having a Watermelon by Danny and Kim Adlerman. 2009. The Kids At Our House.
The Dunderheads by Paul Fleischman. 2009. Candlewick
Junie B.'s Essential Survival Guide to School by Barbara Park. Random House. 2009.
Jack Russell: Dog Detective: The Mugged Pug. Darrel and Sally Odgers. 2007. Kane/Miller. 76 pages.
Jack Russell: Dog Detective: The Lying Postman. Darrel and Sally Odgers. 2007. Kane/Miller. 80 pages.
Jack Russell: Dog Detective: The Awful Pawful. Darrel and Sally Odgers. 2007. Kane/Miller. 80 pages.
Jack Russell: Dog Detective: The Sausage Situation. Darrel and Sally Odgers. 2007. Kane/Miller. 80 pages.
Pet Vet: The Mare's Tale. Darrel & Sally Odgers. 2009. Kane/Miller. 88 pages.
Jack Russell: Dog Detective: The Buried Biscuits. Darrel and Sally Odgers. 2008. Kane/Miller. 80 pages.
Jack Russell: Dog Detective: The Kitnapped Creature. Darrel and Sally Odgers. 2008. Kane/Miller. 80 pages.
Jack Russell: Dog Detective: The Blue Stealer. Darrel and Sally Odgers. 2009. Kane/Miller. 80 pages.
Family Reminders. Julie Danneberg. Illustrated by John Shelley. Charlesbridge. 2009. 105 pages.
Max Spaniel: Dinosaur Hunt. David Catrow. 2009. Scholastic.
Five Children and It by E. Nesbit. 1902. Puffin Classics. 237 pages.
Nathaniel Fludd Beastologist: Flight of the Phoenix. R.L. LaFevers. 2009. Houghton Mifflin. 138 pages.
My Story Bible: 66 Favorite Stories by Jan Godfrey and Paola Bertolini Grudina. 2009. Tyndale. 141 pages.
Sunny Holiday by Coleen Murtagh Paratore. 2009. Scholastic. 160 pages.
Jemma Hartman: Camper Extraordinaire. Brenda A. Ferber. 2009. FSG. 215 pages.
Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things. Lenore Look. Random House. 2008. 172 pages.
Alvin Ho: Allergic to Camping, Hiking, and Other Natural Disasters. Lenore Look. 2009. Random House. 170 pages.
The Sisters 8: Annie's Adventures. Lauren Baratz-Logsted. 2008. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 136 pages.
Gullible Gus. Maxine Rose Schur. 2009. Clarion Books. 48 pages. (early reader/chapter book)
Ottoline and the Yellow Cat by Chris Riddell. 2008. HarperCollins. 171 pages.
Love, Aubrey. Suzanne LaFleur. 2009. Random House. 262 pages.
Umbrella Summer. Lisa Graff. 2009. HarperCollins. 235 pages.
The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had by Kristin Levine. 2009. Penguin. 266 pages.
Confetti Girl by Diana Lopez. 2009. Little, Brown. 198 pages.
Heart of a Shepherd. Rosanne Parry. 2009. Random House. 161 pages.
Ottoline Goes to School. Chris Riddell. 2009. HarperCollins. 170 pages.
Neil Armstrong Is My Uncle & Other Lies Muscle Man McGinty Told Me. Nan Marino. Roaring Brook Press. 154 pages.
Emma Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree. Lauren Tarshis. 2007. Penguin. 200 pages.
Callie's Rules by Naomi Zucker. 2009. Egmont USA. 225 pages.
Signal. Cynthia DeFelice. 2009. FSG. 151 pages.
Take the Mummy and Run by Mary Amato. 2009. Holiday House. 226 pages.
Strawberry Hill. Mary Ann Hoberman. 2009. Little, Brown. 230 pages.
Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell in Love. Lauren Tarshis. 2009. Penguin. 169 pages.
Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Practicing the Piano. Peggy Gifford. 2009. Random House. 177 pages.
Mudville. Kurtis Scaletta. 2009. 265 pages. Knopf.
Alibi Junior High. Greg Logsted. 2009. 244 pages. Simon & Schuster.
Journey of Dreams. Marge Pellegrino. 2009. Frances Lincoln Children's Books. 250 pages.
The Unfinished Angel. Sharon Creech. 2009. HarperCollins. 164 pages.
Piper Reed, Navy Brat. Kimberly Willis Holt. Henry Holt. 146 pages. 2007.
Piper Reed The Great Gypsy. Kimberly Willis Holt. Henry Holt. 160 pages. 2008
Piper Reed Gets A Job. Kimberly Willis Holt. Henry Holt. 160 pages. 2009.
Bobby Vs. Girls (Accidentally). 2009. Lisa Yee. Scholastic. 170 pages.
The Girl Who Threw Butterflies. Mick Cochrane. 2009. Random House. 177 pages.
The Big Fat Cow That Goes Kapow. Andy Griffiths. Illustrated by Terry Denton. 2009. Feiwel and Friends. 124 pages. (Early Reader)
Dessert First by Hallie Durand. 2009. Simon & Schuster. 154 pages.
Ruby Flips for Attention. (Ruby and the Booker Boys). 2009. Derrick Barnes. Scholastic. 130 pages.
Road to Tater Hill. Edith M. Hemingway. 2009. Random House. 214 pages.
No Girls Allowed (Dogs Okay) by Trudi Trueit. 2009. Simon & Schuster. 118 pages.
The Funeral Director's Son by Coleen Murtagh Paratore. 2009. Simon & Schuster. 135 pages.
Dog Whisperer: The Rescue by Nicholas Edwards. 2009. SquareFish. 216 pages.
The Cat On The Mat Is Flat by Andy Griffiths. 2007. Feiwel and Friends. 167 pages.
Black Angels. Linda Beatrice Brown. 2009. Penguin. 260 pages.
Bystander. James Preller. 2009. Feiwel and Friends. 226 pages.

The Year of the Bomb by Ronald Kidd. 2009. Simon & Schuster. 202 pages.
Captain Nobody by Dean Pitchford. 2009. Penguin. 196 pages.
Walking Backward. Catherine Austen. 2009. Orca. 167 pages.
The Kind of Friends We Used To Be. Frances O'Roark Dowell. 2009. Simon & Schuster. 234 pages.
Highway Cats. Janet Taylor Lisle. 2008. Penguin. 128 pages.
Horrid Henry's Christmas. Francesca Simon. 2006/2009. Sourcebooks. 112 pages.
Anything But Typical. Nora Raleigh Baskin. 2009. Simon & Schuster. 195 pages.
The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis. Barbara O'Connor. 2009. FSG. 150 pages.
The Last Invisible Boy. Evan Kuhlman. 2008. Simon & Schuster. 235 pages.
Peace, Locomotion. Jacqueline Woodson. 2009. Penguin. 136 pages.
Faith, Hope, and Ivy June. Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. 2009. Random House. 280 pages.
Lucky Breaks. Susan Patron. 2009. Simon & Schuster. 180 pages.
Gone From These Woods. Donny Bailey Seagraves. Random House. 178 pages.
William S. and the Great Escape. Zilpha Keatley Snyder. Simon & Schuster. 214 pages.


© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Horrid Henry's Christmas

Simon, Francesca. 2009. Horrid Henry's Christmas. Sourcebooks. 90 pages.

One of the great discoveries of the year--at least as far as chapter books are concerned--is a fun little series by Francesca Simon. Horrid Henry. How horrid is Henry? Very, very horrid. A role model, he isn't...and yet...there is something (at least to me) wonderfully charming about his being so horrid. The books are funny. Will everyone appreciate Horrid Henry's humor? No. Will some readers find it a bit too much to take? Probably. But I find the books fun. And I think they'd be great to read aloud.

In Horrid Henry's Christmas, we get four stories--all set within a span of days leading up to Christmas--where Henry is well, horrid, as usual. In the first story, "Horrid Henry's Christmas Play," we see Henry upset about not getting a good role in the school play. Will he find the way to steal the show anyway? In the second story, "Horrid Henry's Christmas Presents", Henry tries to save his money by making (and making do). He doesn't want to spend his money on others, you see, so he's trying to do gift-giving with the least amount of effort. Do you think his plan will backfire? Do you think his family will be able to figure that one out? In the third story, we see Horrid Henry trying to "catch" Santa. It's a sure-fired way (in my opinion) on how to get coal in your stocking. Horrid Henry is so very naughty! Though I must admit his conversation with chocolate had me giggling. In the fourth, it is finally Christmas. What surprises does the day have for Horrid Henry and his family? Will he behave himself? What do you think?!

I enjoyed this one. It was a fun holiday read.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Bert's Blanket

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

God Gave Us Love

God Gave Us Love. Lisa Tawn Bergren. Illustrated by Laura J. Bryant. Waterbrook Press.

Little Cub struggles with loving in this family-friendly picture book. It's not always easy to love. Your family. Your friends. Your neighbors. There are many different kinds of love, Little Cub discovers through her questions, but God gave us love. And he wants us to show HIS love to others. Grampa Bear is doing the honors in this one of teaching Little Cub all about God and God's love and how we're supposed to love others because God first showed His love to us.

"Anytime we show love, Little Cub, we're sharing a bit of his love."

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

God Gave Us Christmas

God Gave Us Christmas by Lisa Tawn Bergren. Illustrated by David Hohn. 2006. Waterbrook Press.

Mama and Little Cub are back for another adventure in God Gave Us Christmas. (They also star in God Gave Us You, God Gave Us Two, God Gave Us Heaven, and God Gave Us Love.) In this holiday picture book, Little Cub, inquisitive as ever, asks who invented Christmas. At first, Little Cub is convinced that Santa had to be the one who invented Christmas. After all, he is the one who brings all the toys. But Mama Bear lets Little Bear know that Christmas is all about God. The two, in fact, set off on a journey to see how God gave us Christmas. By looking at His creation, Little Bear soon accepts that God's gift is amazing. This is enthusiastic Christmas tale starring a lovable bear family.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas. Susan K. Leigh. 2006. Concordia Publishing House. (Board Book)

This little board book is just right for your little ones at Christmas. It tells the real story of Christmas in simple sentences. It is very Jesus-focused. (Something that I just love, love, love!) Here's how it starts off:

Christmas is here.
Christmas is Jesus' birthday.

Jesus is the Son of God.
The Bible tells us about Jesus.

I love the simplicity of it. Yet at the same time I love how much substance there is. Each sentence says something important, something significant. If you're looking to share a non-Santa message with your little ones to prepare for Christmas, then this one might work for you.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

The Sound of Music

A Classic Collectible Pop-Up: The Sound of Music. By Rodgers & Hammerstein and Lindsay & Crouse. Adapted by Bert Fink. Illustrated by Dan Andreasen. Paper Engineering by Bruce Foster. 2009. Simon & Schuster. October 2009. 14 pages.

If you love the Sound of Music, then this really is a must-have. I love, love, love the Sound of Music. So this book made me giddy. Very, very giddy. In the must-show-to-all-my-friends way. This book brings all your favorite movie scenes to life. Each scene pops-up to reveal in wonderful detail the oh-so-magical story of Maria. (It would be hard to pick a favorite spread. Though the twirling Maria from the opening spread is a wonderful representation of how right this one is.) The story has been adapted and is told within the book--very cleverly in my opinion--in the mini-pop-ups/flaps. All the lyrics are included as well. Which was very nice.



© Becky Laney of Young Readers

The Scarecrow's Dance

Yolen, Jane. 2009. The Scarecrow's Dance. Illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline. Simon & Schuster.

The Scarecrow's Dance is a seasonal picture book in verse. Jane Yolen can be quite poetic at times. And some of her books really wow me. (But this one wasn't one of them.)

Here's how it begins:

An autumn eve,
The moon was high,
As yellow as
A black cat's eye.

Out in the field,
Stiff and forlorn,
The scarecrow stood
And watched the corn.

This scarecrow is about to be brought to life by the wind. And oh how he loves dancing and prancing--being free. But can a little boy's prayers bring the scarecrow back to his pole in the field?

What I liked best about this one is the art. I love Bagram Ibatoulline. His artwork wows me every time. It's oh-so-amazing. The richness of the colors and the details. The way he has in bringing the heart of any story to life. So I appreciated that aspect of this one. But the story itself--the text--didn't move me.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Weekly Geeks: 2009-43 (Top Ten Lists)

My top ten children's books:

Rhyming Dust Bunnies by Jan Thomas (Picture Book)
My Elephant by Petr Horacek. (Picture Book)
1000 Times No by Tom Warburton (Picture Book)
A Mighty Fine Time Machine. Suzanne Bloom (Picture Book)
All God's Critters by Bill Staines. (Picture Book)
Binky The Space Cat by Ashley Spires (Picture Book)
Creature ABC by Andrew Zuckerman (Picture Book)
How To Get Married by Me the Bride by Sally Lloyd-Jones (Picture Books)
Max Spaniel: Dinosaur Hunt by David Catrow (Early Reader)
Where's Tumpty by Polly Dunbar (Early Reader)


© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Here Comes The Big, Mean, Dust Bunny!

Thomas, Jan. 2009. Here Comes The Big, Mean Dust Bunny! Simon & Schuster.

I loved the dust bunnies first adventure: Rhyming Dust Bunnies. And I loved this second one as well. Who knew that rhyming could be so very fun?! So very entertaining?! Ed, Ned, Ted, and Bob are back! And there is plenty more rhyming fun to be had. But someone doesn't like all the rhyming. Someone in their midst is in a very bad mood. That someone would be the BIG and MEAN dust bunny. For some reason, he just doesn't want to sit around playing rhyming games. And because that's the kind of guy he is, he doesn't want Ed, Ned, Ted, and Bob to have any fun either.

Want to play a rhyming game?
No!
Come on!
What rhymes with fit?
lit
kit
cat
I know!
SIT!

Yes, the big, mean dust bunny squashes the other four by sitting on them! Can these dust bunnies make a new friend out of this grump?

This one is fun and playful. Definitely recommended!

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Rhyming Dust Bunnies

Thomas, Jan. 2009. Rhyming Dust Bunnies. Simon & Schuster.

I don't think I've always been good when it comes to reviewing Jan Thomas, but I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Jan Thomas. And this one is no exception. In this book, we are introduced to four very colorful (and rhyming) dust bunnies.

Hello! We are Ed, Ned, Ted...and Bob. We rhyme all the time!

As you can see--from the start--one of the dust bunnies isn't quite like the others. Poor Bob! But it is because he is different from the others that makes this one so very funny and charming.

What do I mean? Well, let's go back to the text:

Hey! What rhymes with car?
Far
Jar
Tar
Look!

Anyway, this one is a LOT of fun. These lovable little dust bunnies are guys I would have just been crazy about as a kid. Hey, I love them now!!!

I would definitely recommend this one.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Yummy: Eight Favorite Fairy Tales

Cousins, Lucy. 2009. Yummy: Eight Favorite Fairy Tales. Candlewick Press. 121 pages.

Lucy Cousins (perhaps best known for her Maisy books) brings us eight (familiar) tales in this bright and bold collection for young readers. The tales included are: Little Red Riding Hood, The Three Billy Goats Gruff, The Enormous Turnip, Henny Penny, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Little Red Hen, The Three Little Pigs, and The Musicians of Bremen. (I only wish she'd chosen to include The Gingerbread Boy.)

Cousins' stories are a bit more violent than some contemporary retellings. She doesn't shy away from death and violence. (Though not each tale is violent. It's really just Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs that are. Her wolves are definitely in the big and bad category.)

The text of each story is simple and straightforward.

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Little Red Riding Hood. Her mother asked her to take a basket of food through the woods to her grandmother, who was ill. Little Red Riding Hood had not gone far when she met a wolf.

What did I like best about this one? The illustrations! If you like Cousins' bright, bold, and colorful and larger-than-life (almost) illustrations. (Illustrations that command your attention right from the start.) Then you'll appreciate this collection of stories.

This is another impressive title by Candlewick Press.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Cat On The Mat Is Flat

Griffiths, Andy. 2007. Cat On The Mat Is Flat. Illustrated by Terry Denton. Feiwel and Friends. 167 pages.

This early reader is heavily illustrated. So don't be intimidated by its length! It's a fun little collection of stories--rhyming stories--that are just about right. Mostly. I read The Big Fat Cow That Goes Kapow first. So I was comparing this earlier effort with his newest effort. But I *still* think this one is a lot of fun. There are nine little rhyming stories in all. Some stories have more substance than others. But all are simple and meant to appeal to a young audience.

My personal favorite is Bill and Phil and the Very Big Hill. I just thought that one was hilarious.

Here's how it starts out:

There was a man.
His name was Bill.
Bill had a friend.
His name was Phil.

One day Bill and his friend Phil
climbed to the top of a very big hill.
"I dare you to roll down the hill,"
said Bill.
"I will if you will, Bill,"
said Phil.
"I will if you will, Phil,"
said Bill.

So Bill and Phil rolled down the hill.

Of course that is just the start of this story. With nine stories, there is something for everyone, I think. You may not love all of the stories. But there will probably be a few--at least--that you think work.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

The Beast of Blackslope

Barrett, Tracy. 2009. The Sherlock Files: The Beast of Blackslope. Henry Holt. 174 pages.

This is the second in a mystery series. The first is The 100 Year Old Secret. Xander and Xena are a brother-sister detective team. Descendants of the great Sherlock Holmes. They inherited his book of 'unsolved cases' in the first book, and are back for their second adventure. These two (along with their parents) are visiting a not-so-cozy bed and breakfast in the country. They hear a strange and frightening noise one day, and then begin to hear rumors of a beast. Thanks to a superb memory, one of the two remembers that Sherlock Holmes tried to solve this case a hundred years ago--a case of a strange beast in this area--but couldn't. Can these two figure out both mysteries--the identity of the beast then and now?

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

No Girls Allowed (Dogs Okay)

Trueit, Trudi. 2009. Secrets of a Lab Rat: No Girls Allowed (Dogs Okay). Simon & Schuster. 118 pages.

I think this one might work for the younger crowd (especially boys). But the immature humor could limit the appeal for everyone else. What this one has working for it is some kid appeal. I think the easy-and-obvious jokes (bantering) could appeal to some readers. Not to this reader. But to some readers. Our hero is a young boy, Scab, who loves, loves, loves to drive his sister (his twin sister), Isabelle, crazy. He's always thinking of a hundred different ways to annoy, frustrate, and/or torture his sister. These pranks and inventions are never-ending. (Which is tiresome in a way.) This book is about one of his inventions. He wants to invent a spray (or perfume) to drive away sisters. He accidentally is successful on this one when he starts selling this sister-repellent to other boys at his school. Unfortunately, it's named after his sister, and she's not laughing about it. Can this brother grow a heart and work up an apology? Or is he a hopeless case?

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

The Funeral Director's Son

Paratore, Coleen Murtagh. 2009. The Funeral Director's Son. 136 pages. Simon & Schuster.

This one falls into the cute but not quite for me category. What it does have going for it, in my opinion, is its light, conversational often-humorous narrative style. I think you'll see what I mean right from the start:

I spend a lot of time thinking about f-words.
Food. Friends. Fun.
And funerals.
That's right, funerals.

Our narrator is Christopher (Kip) and he's just turned twelve. He doesn't want to go into the family business. He doesn't care how many generations back the business goes. He knows there must be more to life than burying other folks.

How does Kip contribute to the family business? Well, he talks to dead people. (In a way. He hears a voice that tells him what the dead person *needs* to cross over to the other side.) So he helps the dead take care of their unfinished business; he helps unburden the dead. So there are several different adventures in the book where he does just that.

The narrator does make this a fun and easy read. So I can see why readers could get hooked.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Dessert First

Durand, Hallie. 2009. Dessert First. Simon & Schuster. 151 pages.

I don't know if Mrs. Howdy Doody is her real God-given name or not, but on the very first day of third grade, our teacher told us to call her that She also told us, on that very first day, to march to our own drummers.

This book was satisfying. Dessert Schneider, the narrator, just charmed me through and through. It's one of those books that I wished I could have read as a kid. Because I know that while I liked it now as an adult, I would have been crazy about it as a kid. I'm not sure exactly why. Sure it is a great book that is passionate about food--about desserts to be exact--but I think it goes beyond that. I think it is Dessert herself. I can see myself in her. She's so perfectly imperfect. So lovably flawed. She doesn't always do the right thing, say the right thing. She makes mistakes. And, on a good day, she recognizes that and tries to fix it. I like that she's unique. That she has her own way of seeing the world.

I don't know that I can pinpoint exactly what this one is about. It sounds silly to say it's about an 8 year old learning some important life lessons. Because while Dessert does learn from some of her mistakes, the book isn't about her learning from mistakes. (In an oh-so-didactic way). It's about Dessert, about her family, about her teacher, about a school project, about life itself.

The project is asking the students to give up something that they love for two weeks. Each day they succeed, their sponsor(s) give a designated amount of money. ($2 a day for not doing whatever it is, for example.) Dessert struggles with what to give up. Because while she thinks the prize is good (they're raising money for something for the playground I believe), she doesn't want to give up something too big (like desserts), but she can't be too obvious about giving up something too small. (Like mayonnaise.) What's a girl to do?

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Dog Whisperer: The Rescue

Edwards, Nicholas. 2009. Dog Whisperer: The Rescue. Squarefish. 216 pages.

Emily was drowning.

I'll be honest right from the start. I just didn't like this one. The premise--just so you can decide for yourselves if this is something you'd want to pick up--is that Emily is a young girl who finds a stray dog, Zach. The two are psychically (telepathically) linked. (She feels what he feels, smells what he smells, dreams what he dreams, craves what he craves, etc.)
Emily doesn't just find him, she rescues him. She was having a recurring dream of drowning, and awakes with the knowledge that there is something (or someone) that needs her. So she goes out exploring on the coast in the dark--in the middle of a storm--and finds this large dog. She risks her own life to save this dog. And it's touch and go for a bit on whether Zach will survive the trauma. But with Emily by his side, with her strength and love and hope guiding him, maybe just maybe he will.

I think the book has several issues. I think in some ways it tries to do too much. There in the middle it gets a bit muddled. It becomes more than a girl meets dog story. Emily, a biracial child who was adopted by a white couple, has some moments. The book focuses in on the "issues" of being biracial, being biracial in a mostly-white town, being biracial and adopted, and just plain old being adopted. I don't have a problem with the introduction of these issues. But they weren't evenly woven into the plot. (At least not that I can recall. I could be wrong though).

I also think the plot could have been tighter. I think this one loses its way in a few places. There are paragraphs--pages even--where the text just rambles on and on and on and on. This information doesn't move the plot in any direction at all. We've got some irrelevant over-sharing going on. I don't know if this falls into the too much showing or too much telling side of things. I just think if the text had a bit more editing, it would help things out overall.

The ending. It was a bit too much for me. Maybe it wouldn't be if I was 8. But I felt it was oh so predictable, and way over the top.

I admit I'm way over the target age group for this one. This is a children's book. And if I was in grade school, I might have a completely different response to this one. (It's possible at least. Though I never was one for books with dogs on the cover because I was the child afraid (even from page one) that the dog would end up dying. And I couldn't handle that. So why risk it?!) It is the start of a series, I believe. And for young readers that love animals, love dogs, and are in a series-phase anyway, I could see this one having some appeal. So just because this one didn't thrill me doesn't mean it won't work for you.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Ruby Flips for Attention

Barnes, Derrick. 2009. Ruby and the Booker Boys: Ruby Flips for Attention. Scholastic. 130 pages.

"Those are our seats. Right there! Right there!" I yelled, and pointed after I zoomed through the big red gym doors.

Ruby is super excited about seeing her cousin Kee-Kee's drill team perform. The uniforms. The dancing. The flipping. The stomping. Wow. Ruby is just wowed. She so wants to be like Kee-Kee. Wants to start her own drill-team. Wants to have her own flashy uniform. Wants to perform, wants to wow. But there are a few problems. There's not all that many kids in her neighborhood that are interested. And then there's the fact that Ruby doesn't know how to dance, flip, or cheer. Is there more to being on the drill team than dancing? performing? What is this spirit stuff all about anyway?

Can Ruby learn that it takes more than a few flips to be great? Ruby is an enthusiastic narrator with a big heart for her family and friends.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Young Readers Challenge

Young Readers Challenge
Hosted by Becky of Becky's Book Reviews
January - December 2010
Read 12 Children's Books

Think of this as referring to the "E" (Easy) and "J" (Juvenile or Junior) sections of the library.

Sign up by leaving a comment.
You do not have to have a blog.
You may keep in touch and leave links to your reviews.
*But* no reviews are required.

A list is not required. Choose what you like. Choose as you go. Or plan it all out now. Whatever you want.

You may leave LINKS TO REVIEWS in the MckLinky below. Sign up by leaving a comment though.



© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Under the Star

Yolen, Jane. 2009. Under the Star. Illustrated by Vlasta van Kampen. Key Porter Kids.

This one is a "Christmas Counting Story." It falls into the very simple category. (That's not a bad thing necessarily. Complex and busy aren't always good things.) It's repetitive. It follows a clear pattern. (Which can be a very good thing when reading to young ones.) This means that young ones (who can't *read* yet) can still join in on reading it.

Under the star, under the star,
One angel sees a manger afar.

Under the star, under the star,
Two shepherds see a manger afar.

Under the star, under the star,
Three wise men see a manger afar.

Because it is a counting book, it keeps the Christmas story very simple. This won't tell you much about who the Baby Jesus is--who his parents were--or anything. But it works, in a way.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

The Seeing Stick

Yolen, Jane. 2009. The Seeing Stick. Illustrated by Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini. Running Press.

I just have to say that I was amazed by the illustrations. I mean Jane Yolen is still Jane Yolen. But wow, these illustrations! The book would not have been anywhere close to the same without these pictures! Here's how it opens:

Once in the ancient walled citadel of Peking there lived an emperor who had only one daughter, and her name was Hwei Ming. Now this daughter had carved ivory combs to smooth back her long black hair. Her tiny feet were encased in embroidered slippers, and her robes were woven of the finest silks. But rather than making her happy, such possessions made her sad. For Hwei Ming was blind, and all the beautiful handcrafts in the kingdom brought her no pleasure at all. Her father was also sad that his only daughter was blind, but he could not cry for her. He was the emperor after all, and had given up weeping over such things when he ascended the throne. Yet still he had hope that one day Hwei Ming might be able to see. So he resolved that if someone could help her, such a person would be rewarded with a fortune in jewels.

Can Hwei Ming be made to see? Is there a miracle worker out there for her? What can one old man with a wooden stick--even if he calls it a seeing stick--give to the greatest in the land?

As the story unfolds, we go from black and white (and gray) to these incredibly vivid, bright, majestic, rich color spreads. The change is subtle. It doesn't happen all at once, it starts with small shadings here and there. But before you know it the story (through the illustrations) is jumping off the page.

I enjoyed this one.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Pumpkin Baby

Yolen, Jane. 2009. Pumpkin Baby. Illustrated by Susan Mitchell. Key Porter Kids.

It had to grow on me a little, but by the third time through I had begun to see some charm in Jane Yolen's Pumpkin Baby. Here's how it starts,

When I was three years old,
old enough to know better,
Mama took a ripe pumpkin
from Auntie May's patch of land.

When Auntie May jokes that the mother is "gonna get a baby that way from all those seeds. A pumpkin baby." Our child narrator begins to imagine what a pumpkin baby would look like, be like. We read,

I thought about a pumpkin baby.
Would it be orange on the outside?
Would it be too heavy to pick up,
too round to run and play with me?
Would I,
could I,
ever love a pumpkin child?

Anyway, our story goes on with more instances and imaginings. Our narrator imagines not only a pumpkin baby but a cabbage baby and a stork baby as well. When the narrator finally gets a real baby (a little brother), we see that in a way some of the imaginings were correct. (The baby may not be orange and round, but it is too heavy to pick up and too young to play with, etc.)

This is a book about loving siblings. In this case, a big sister and a little brother.



© Becky Laney of Young Readers

The Big Fat Cow That Goes Kapow

Griffiths, Andy. The Big Fat Cow that Goes Kapow. Illustrated by Terry Denton. Feiwel and Friends. 124 pages.

This early reader is heavily illustrated. So don't be intimidated by its length! It's a fun little collection of stories--rhyming stories--that are just about right.

It's raining
big fat cows
today.
How many cows?
It's hard to say.
A big cow here.
A fat cow there.
Big fat cows are
Everywhere!
Cows underwater.
Cows in space.
Big fat cows
all over the place!

Of course that little story goes on...and you might have guessed it...one big fat cow does explode with a big kapow.

If exploding cows aren't your cup of tea, perhaps the story of Brave Dave or Klaus the Mouse will suit you better! There's really something for everyone here. It's a cute and funny little book.

Definitely recommended.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

The Legend of Ninja Cowboy Bear

Bruins, David and Hilary Leung. 2009. Legend of Ninja Cowboy Bear. Kids Can Press.

I had low expectations for this one. I'm not sure why. But--and this is a good but--I was pleasantly surprised by this little story. The book is about three friends: a ninja, a cowboy, and a bear. These three friends get along great--despite their differences--for a long time. Until one day, each starts thinking about which one is really best. There are a series of competitions and contests throughout the book. But--and you've probably guessed where this is going--they discover that everyone is best at something. They all have different strengths. There's something special and wonderful about each of them.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

My Elephant

Horacek, Petr. 2009. My Elephant. Candlewick Press. (Releases November 2009)

What's a boy to do when his family is to busy to play with him? Why play with his elephant of course! Here's how it starts off:

I asked Grandpa to play ball with me, but he was too busy.
I went to see Grandma, but she was busy, too.
So I asked my elephant if he wanted to play with me.

The elephant agrees, of course, but this pair doesn't necessarily stay out of trouble. The flower bed gets messed up, the hallway gets messed up, the orange juice is spilled, the cupcakes get eaten, the bathroom gets all messy too. But no one seems to believe the boy's "my elephant did it" excuse.

I love, love, love this one. And those three loves still don't do it justice. I grew up loving The Gorilla Did It. But I think I might love this one a little bit more. Perhaps because it stars an elephant instead. (I love, love, love elephants.) But also because the illustrations are just incredibly fun and perfect and oh-so-right. Definitely recommended.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

The Girl Who Threw Butterflies

Cochrane, Mick. 2009. The Girl Who Threw Butterflies. Random House. 177 pages.

On Monday, after band rehearsal and intramurals, when Molly got home from school, her mother was sitting at the kitchen table going through the day's mail.

Another book about baseball. And grief. Not that I have anything against grief. It's a trend that really never goes away. Perhaps because that's how life is. It's realistic for books to be sad. Molly, our narrator, is grieving for her father. So is Molly's mother, in her own little way. She's checked out--emotionally at least--from her life. Molly becomes almost invisible, a complete afterthought. I think Molly's mother just doesn't want to feel anything, and that means she's missing out on Molly...on what she wants, on what she needs. Molly is clinging to memories of her father, and that means she's clinging to baseball. A shared hobby for the two of them. They loved to play catch together. They loved to watch it together. Her father thought she was special. Thought her pitch was special. Her knuckleball that floated like a butterfly.

In The Girl Who Threw Butterflies, Molly tries out (and makes) the boy's baseball team. Can playing baseball heal her broken heart? Can it mend the pieces of her broken family? What can she learn from the game that will help her in life?

As I said, I have nothing against grief. I just don't care for baseball all that much. So I didn't really enjoy this one all that much.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Middle Grade Nominees for Cybils

Al Capone Shines My Shoes

by Gennifer Choldenko
Dial

Nominated by: Mary Ann Scheuer

Alibi Junior High

by Greg Logsted
Aladdin

Nominated by: Stephanie Elliot

All The Broken Pieces

by Ann Burg
Scholastic

Nominated by: Laurie Schneider

Also Known As Harper

by Ann Haywood Leal
Henry Holt

Nominated by: Jeni Bell

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Camping, Hiking, and Other Natural Disasters

by Lenore Look
Schwartz and Wade Books

Nominated by: Natasha Maw

Angel Cake

by cathy cassidy
Puffin UK

Nominated by: Anna

Anna's World

by Wim Coleman
Chiron

Nominated by: Bethany Brown

Anything But Typical

by Nora Raleigh Baskin
Simon & Schuster

Nominated by: Pam W Coughlan

Beast of Blackslope (The Sherlock Files), The

by Tracy Barrett
Henry Holt

Nominated by: Shellie Braeuner

Beef Princess of Practical County, The

by Michelle Houts
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers

Nominated by: Pat Zietlow Miller

Best Bad Luck I Ever Had, The

by Kristin Levine
Putnam Juvenile

Nominated by: Amanda Snow

Beyond the Station Lies the Sea

by Jutta Richter
Milkweed Editions

Nominated by: Librarian Pirate

Black Angels

by Linda Beatrice Brown
Putnam Juvenile

Nominated by: Susan

Bobby vs. Girls (Accidentally)

by Lisa Yee
Arthur A Levine

Nominated by: Jennifer Roy

Born to Fly

by Michael Ferrari
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers

Nominated by: Alyson

Boy Trouble (Claudia Cristina Cortez)

by Diana G. Gallagher
Stone Arch Books

Nominated by: Jennifer Glidden

Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z., The

by Kate Messner
Walker Books for Young Readers

Nominated by: Jennifer Laughran

Brooklyn Nine, The

by Alan M. Gratz
Dial

Nominated by: Sarah

Brushing Mom's Hair

by Andrea Cheng
Wordsong

Nominated by: Linda Sanders-Wells

Bull Rider

by Suzanne Morgan Williams
Margaret K. McElderry

Nominated by: Greg Leitich Smith

Bystander

by James Preller
Feiwel & Friends

Nominated by: Nan Hoekstra

Callie's Rules

by Naomi Zucker
Egmont USA

Nominated by: Torey Yates

Captain Nobody

by Dean Pitchford
Putnam Juvenile

Nominated by: Dawn Mooney

Carolina Harmony

by Marilyn Taylor McDowell
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers

Nominated by: Becky

Castle of Bran, The

by Stephen S. Keeney
Zumaya Thresholds

Nominated by: Elizabeth Burton

Chains

by Laurie Halse Anderson
Simon & Schuster

Nominated by: melissa

Confetti Girl

by Diana Lopez
Little, Brown

Nominated by: Laurie Amster-Burton

Dani Noir

by Nova Ren Suma
Aladdin

Nominated by: Chelsea Campbell

Dear Pen Pal (The Mother-Daughter Book Club)

by Heather Vogel Frederick
Simon & Schuster

Nominated by: Jennifer Donovan

Dessert First

by Hallie Durand
Atheneum

Nominated by: Beth Kizer

Devon Delaney Should Totally Know Better

by Lauren Barnholdt
Aladdin

Nominated by: Mandy Hubbard

Dog Whisperer: The Rescue

by Nicholas Edwards
Square Fish

Nominated by: Doret

Dragon Wishes

by Stacy Nyikos
Blooming Tree Press

Nominated by: Tricia Hoover

Dunderheads, The

by
Candlewick Press

Nominated by: Paula Willey

Emma Jean Lazarus Fell in Love

by Lauren Tarshis
Dial

Nominated by: EM

Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, The

by Jacqueline Kelly
Henry Holt

Nominated by: Scope Notes

Extra Credit (Junior Library Guild Selection)

by Andrew Clements
Atheneum

Nominated by: Abby Johnson

Faith, Hope, and Ivy June

by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers

Nominated by: Katie

Fiona Finkelstein, Big-Time Ballerina!!

by Shawn K. Stout
Aladdin

Nominated by: Jessica Burkhart

Girl Who Threw Butterflies, The

by Mick Cochrane
Knopf Books for Young Readers

Nominated by: Shannon Bosley

Gone from These Woods

by Donny Bailey Seagraves
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers

Nominated by: Hester Bass

Heart of a Shepherd

by Rosanne Parry
Random House Children's Books

Nominated by: jone

I Am Jack

by Susanne Gervay
Tricycle Press

Nominated by: Hayley Gonnason

Ice Shock (Joshua Files)

by M. G. Harris
Scholastic

Nominated by: Anna

Jemma Hartman, Camper Extraordinaire

by Brenda A. Ferber
Farrar, Straus & Giroux

Nominated by: Megan Germano

Journey of Dreams

by Marge Pellegrino
Frances Lincoln Childrens Books

Nominated by: Janni

Kind of Friends We Used to Be, The

by Frances O'Roark Dowell
Atheneum

Nominated by: Sheryl

Kip Campbell's Gift (Funeral Director's Son)

by Coleen Murtagh Paratore
Simon & Schuster

Nominated by: elaina

Last Invisible Boy, The

by Evan Kuhlman
Ginee Seo Books

Nominated by: sharon H

Last Newspaper Boy in America, The

by Sue Corbett
Dutton Juvenile

Nominated by: Mark Di Vincenzo

Leaving the Bellweathers

by Kristin Clark Venuti
Egmont USA

Nominated by: Kathy Temean

Liberty Porter First Daughter

by Julia DeVillers
Aladdin

Nominated by: Melissa Wiechmann

Lincoln and His Boys

by Rosemary Wells
Candlewick Press

Nominated by: Jenny Choy

Living It Up to Live It Down

by Ronica Stromberg
Royal Fireworks Publishing Company

Nominated by: Lee Allen

Love, Aubrey

by Suzanne LaFleur
Wendy Lamb Books

Nominated by: Jen Barnes

Lucky Breaks

by Susan Patron
Ginee Seo Books

Nominated by:

Melonhead

by Katy Kelly
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers

Nominated by: Jennifer Wharton

Models Don't Eat Chocolate Cookies

by Erin Dionne
Dial

Nominated by: Megan Crewe

Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg

by Rodman Philbrick
Blue Sky Press

Nominated by: Kara Dean

Mudville

by Kurtis Scaletta
Knopf Books for Young Readers

Nominated by: Deva Fagan

My Life in Pink & Green

by Lisa Greenwald
Amulet

Nominated by: Sarah Rettger

Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma, The

by Trenton Lee Stewart
Little, Brown

Nominated by: Sherry Early

NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society (Book One)

by Michael Buckley
Amulet

Nominated by: Alison Fargis

Neil Armstrong is My Uncle and Other Lies Muscle Man McGinty Told Me

by Nan Marino
Roaring Brook

Nominated by: Kristine Michael

Newsgirl

by Liza Ketchum
Viking

Nominated by: Vicki Palmquist

No Girls Allowed (Dogs Okay) (Secrets of a Lab Rat)

by Trudi Trueit
Aladdin

Nominated by: Trina L.

Operation Redwood

by S. Terrell French
Amulet

Nominated by: Ellen Jensen Abbott

Operation Yes

by Sara Lewis Holmes
Arthur A Levine

Nominated by: Laura Purdie Salas

Ottoline Goes to School

by Chris Riddell
HarperCollins

Nominated by: Elaine

Paris Pan Takes the Dare

by Cynthea Liu
Putnam Juvenile

Nominated by: Sarah Ockler

Peace, Locomotion

by Jacqueline Woodson
Putnam Juvenile

Nominated by: Jessica

Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone: The Entomological Tales of Augustus T. Percival

by Dene Low
Houghton Mifflin

Nominated by: Colleen Mondor

Piper Reed Gets a Job

by Kimberly Willis Holt
Henry Holt

Nominated by: Pam Calvert

Positively

by Courtney Sheinmel
Simon & Schuster

Nominated by: amanda berlin

Problem with the Puddles, The

by Kate Feiffer
Simon & Schuster

Nominated by: Jess

Recipe for Robbery, A

by Marybeth Kelsey
Greenwillow Books

Nominated by: Jenny Moss

Red, White & True Blue Mallory

by Laurie Friedman
Carolrhoda Books

Nominated by: Lindsay Matvick

Rescuing Seneca Crane (A Kari and Lucas Mystery)

by Susan Runholt
Viking

Nominated by: Britt Aamodt

Return to Sender

by Julia Alvarez
Knopf Books for Young Readers

Nominated by: LaTonya

Road to Tater Hill

by Edith M. Hemingway
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers

Nominated by: Bonnie J. Doerr

Ruby Flips For Attention (Ruby And The Booker Boys)

by Derrick Barnes
Scholastic

Nominated by: Kelly Starling Lyons

Sahwira: An African Friendship

by Carolyn Marsden
Candlewick Press

Nominated by: Edith Hope Fine

Scat

by Carl Hiaasen
Knopf Books for Young Readers

Nominated by: Jenn R

Season of Gifts, A

by Richard Peck
Dial

Nominated by: Jeff Barger

Ship of Lost Souls, The

by Rachelle Delaney
HarperCollins

Nominated by: Tara MacDonald

Signal

by Cynthia DeFelice
Farrar, Straus & Giroux

Nominated by: Dick Holmes

Sisters Eight Bk 1: Annie's Adventures

by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
Houghton Mifflin

Nominated by: Stephanie Elliot

Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis, The

by Barbara O'Connor
Farrar, Straus & Giroux

Nominated by: Augusta Scattergood

Solving Zoe

by Barbara Dee
Margaret K. McElderry

Nominated by: Julie Peterson

Standing for Socks

by Elissa Brent Weissman
Atheneum

Nominated by: Little Willow

Storm Chaser

by Chris Platt
Peachtree

Nominated by: Carrie, Reading to Know

Strawberry Hill

by Mary Ann Hoberman
Little, Brown

Nominated by: Deborah Freedman

Take the Mummy and Run: The Riot Brothers Are on a Roll (The Riot Brothers Series)

by Mary Amato
Holiday House

Nominated by: kathleen morandini

Touchdown Trouble (Fred Bowen Sports Story Series)

by Fred Bowen
Peachtree

Nominated by: Lesley

Tropical Secrets: Holocaust Refugees in Cuba

by Margarita Engle
Publisher not defined

Nominated by: Elizabeth Bird

Umbrella Summer

by Lisa Graff
HarperCollins

Nominated by: Franki Sibberson

Walking Backward

by Catherine Austen
Orca Books

Nominated by: Geoff Quaile

Wanting Mor

by Rukhsana Khan
Groundwood Books

Nominated by: Marjorie

When the Whistle Blows

by Fran Slayton
Philomel

Nominated by: Tarie Sabido

White Cave Escape

by Jennifer Mcgrath Kent
Nimbus

Nominated by: C Drake

Wild Things

by Clay Carmichael
Front Street

Nominated by: Joyce Moyer Hostetter

William S. and the Great Escape

by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
Atheneum

Nominated by: Sara Lea

Winnie's War

by Jenny Moss
Walker Books for Young Readers

Nominated by: R.J. Anderson

Year of the Bomb, The

by Ronald Kidd
Simon & Schuster

Nominated by: Della

Year the Swallows Came Early, The

by Kathryn Fitzmaurice
HarperCollins

Nominated by: Melissa

The following nominated books are ineligible:

Amelia's Middle School Survival Guide: Amelia's Most Unforgettable Embarrassing Moments, Amelia's Guide to Gossip

by Marissa Moss
Simon & Schuster

Status: Not Eligible
Reason ineligible: new edition of previously published texts

Nominated by: Jenisa

Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy (Gallagher Girls)

by Ally Carter
Publisher not defined

Status: Not Eligible
Reason ineligible: Pub date 2007

Nominated by: Nadia Murti

Dog Gone

by Cynthia Chapman Willis
Square Fish

Status: Not Eligible
Reason ineligible: Hardcover pub date April 2008

Nominated by: Tara Lazar

How to Steal a Dog

by Barbara O'Connor
Publisher not defined

Status: Not Eligible
Reason ineligible: Hardcover 2007 pub date

Nominated by: Greta Blanchard

If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period

by Gennifer Choldenko
Publisher not defined

Status: Not Eligible
Reason ineligible: Hardcover published 2007

Nominated by: LaTonya M. Baldwin

Looks

by Madeleine George
Publisher not defined

Status: Not Eligible
Reason ineligible: Hardcover published June 2008

Nominated by: Nora Olsen

One Crazy Summer

by Rita Williams-garcia
Publisher not defined

Status: Not Eligible
Reason ineligible: Pub date January 2010

Nominated by: Cynthia Leitich Smith

Out of My Mind

by Sharon M. Draper
Publisher not defined

Status: Not Eligible
Nominated by: Beth Kizer

Peeled

by Joan Bauer
Publisher not defined

Status: Not Eligible
Reason ineligible: Pub date Hardcover 2008

Nominated by: Terry Doherty

Piper Reed: The Great Gypsy

by Kimberly Willis Holt
Publisher not defined

Status: Not Eligible
Reason ineligible: Hardcover August 2008

Nominated by: Cherie Saylor Garrett

The Aurora County All-Stars

by Deborah Wiles
Publisher not defined

Status: Not Eligible
Reason ineligible: Hardcover 2007 (nominated that year as well)

Nominated by: Kristy Dempsey

The Chicken Dance

by Jacques Couvillon
Publisher not defined

Status: Not Eligible
Reason ineligible: Hardcover April 2008 pub date

Nominated by: Holly Hensley

The Dragonfly Pool

by Eva Ibbotson
Publisher not defined

Status: Not Eligible
Nominated by: Kristen Nielsen

The Second Street Snoops

by Nancy Sweetland, author/illustrator
Publisher not defined

Status: Not Eligible
Reason ineligible: Published May 2008

Nominated by: Nancy Sweetlan

© Becky Laney of Young Readers