CHILDREN'S
Released: Sept. 13, 2011
"Visually stunning, completely compelling, Wonderstruck demonstrates a mastery and maturity that proves that, yes, lightning can strike twice. (Historical fiction. 9 & up)"
CHILDREN'S
Released: Feb. 8, 2011
Intelligent, richly detailed fantasy featuring two young cousins battered by losses, personal passions and larger events.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Sept. 1, 2011
"A tricky, magical delight. (author's note) (Fiction. 8-12)"
Treading water in her last term of elementary school, Julie figures she's learned all there is to learn, when two Mongolian brothers in fur-lined coats (it's summer) arrive: Chingis and Nergui.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 13, 2011
"Sheer delight. (final art not seen) (Animal fantasy. 8-12)"
Problem novels, ghost stories, historical fiction--is there anything Newbery Medalist Peck cannot do? Apparently not.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: March 1, 2011
"Unfolding with the implacable clarity of the natural world Louise reveres, the novel proves that a quiet story can be as gripping as the busiest action-packed narrative—and with more staying power. (Fiction. 8-12)"
This spare, lovely novel concerns that moment in childhood, at once universal and utterly lonely, when one is forced to recognize that all life is mortal.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Nov. 15, 2011
"Multilayered, compassionate and thought-provoking, a timely read on the sesquicentennial of America's Civil War. (Historical fantasy. 12 & up)"
It's 1960, but on the decayed Fairchild sugar plantation in rural Louisiana, vestiges of a grimmer past remain--the old cottage, overgrown garden maze, relations between white and black races.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: May 10, 2011
"Both tender and insightful, this well-crafted, fast-paced tale should have wide teen appeal. (notes on form) (Poetry. 10-16)"
From the award-winning Frost comes a wildly imaginative, thought-provoking novel in verse that centers on the unlikely friendship that arises between two teenage girls as a result of an accidental kidnapping.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Feb. 22, 2011
"In her not-to-be-missed debut, Lai evokes a distinct time and place and presents a complex, realistic heroine whom readers will recognize, even if they haven't found themselves in a strange new country. (Historical fiction/verse. 9-12)"
An enlightening, poignant and unexpectedly funny novel in verse is rooted in the author's childhood experiences.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Feb. 1, 2011
"Be prepared to blast off; this debut is truly out of this world. (Graphic science fiction. 9-12)"
A headstrong young girl makes a hasty decision and finds herself in a galaxy far, far away in this graphic-novel shining star.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: May 1, 2011
"A lush and intelligent opener for a topical eco-fantasy series. (Fantasy. 9-13)"
Nature and science in a vivid Cape Cod setting create layers of meaning as 13-year-old Cara and her brothers confront the puzzle of their mother's disappearance.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 4, 2011
"An irresistible read: This book sings. (Fantasy. 8-12)"
CHILDREN'S
Released: June 21, 2011
"A most worthy and enjoyable entry in the "feisty female" fantasy genre. (Fantasy. 10-14)"
Veteran Stanley concocts a delicious blend of familiar fairy-tale motifs and intriguing, well-rounded characters to create an engaging fantasy.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Jan. 1, 2011
"Frequently hysterical dialogue, a hugely sympathetic protagonist and a baroque concatenation of magics and counter-magics will keep readers glued to this smart, earthy and thoughtful tale. (Fantasy. 10-14)"
CHILDREN'S
Released: Jan. 4, 2011
"John Steptoe Award–winning debut, The Rock and the River (2009). (Fiction. 8-14)"
Ella and Zachary, sixth-grade misfits, cling to each other to get through the taunts, rejection and, sometimes, abuse from their classmates.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Nov. 8, 2011
"Love conquers all in this big-hearted and heartbreaking story of Martha, Tug and their errant father who, in time, stops acting like a wild gibbon and finds his way home. (Fiction. 9-12)"
British author Mason has conjured a rarity indeed--a tremendously charming, unflinching account of a parent's downward spiral.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Sept. 19, 2011
"This outstanding, emotionally resonant effort will appeal to middle-grade readers. (Fiction. 8-12)"
