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New & Notable Books for Middle-Graders: October 2012 (page 2)

Cover art for SUMMER AND BIRD
CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 2, 2012
Kirkus Star SUMMER AND BIRD
by Katherine Catmull
""The way a story is told has power," the narrator asserts; Catmull's languorously beautiful telling is puissant indeed. (Fantasy. 10-14)"
A haunting fable inflected with mythological and fairy-tale motifs finds two sisters abandoned by their parents in conflict with each other. Read full book review >
Cover art for SON
CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 2, 2012
Kirkus Star SON
by Lois Lowry
"Bravo! (Fiction. 12 & up)"
In this long-awaited finale to the Giver Quartet, a young mother from a dystopian community searches for her son and sacrifices everything to find him living in a more humane society with characters from The Giver (1993), Gathering Blue (2000) and Messenger (2004). Read full book review >
Cover art for ZOMBIE MAKERS
CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 1, 2012
Kirkus Star ZOMBIE MAKERS: TRUE STORIES OF NATURE'S UNDEAD
by Rebecca L. Johnson
"Science writing at its grossest and best, though as the title (not to mention the blood-spattered pages) warns, not for the squeamish. (author's note, glossary, notes, bibliography, further reading, index) (Nonfiction. 10-13)"
Solid (sometimes writhing) proof that the scariest zombie flicks have nothing on Nature. Read full book review >
Cover art for THE DOGS OF WINTER
CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 1, 2012
Kirkus Star THE DOGS OF WINTER
by Bobbie Pyron
"Terrifying, life-affirming and memorable. (author's note, bibliography) (Adventure. 10-14)"
An orphaned boy in Russia survives as a member of a pack of dogs. Read full book review >
Cover art for THE GIANT AND HOW HE HUMBUGGED AMERICA
CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 1, 2012
Kirkus Star THE GIANT AND HOW HE HUMBUGGED AMERICA
by Jim Murphy
"After reading this fascinating story, young people will appreciate the old expression, spawned by this very hoax, "There's a sucker born every minute." (research notes, source notes, bibliography, photo credits, index) (Nonfiction. 10-14)"
When a stone giant is found on a farm in upstate New York, William Newell sees the chance to get rich quickly. Read full book review >
Cover art for FOOD
CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 1, 2012
Kirkus Star FOOD: THE NEW GOLD
by Kathlyn Gay
"A sobering, thought-provoking discussion that provides, yes, much food for thought. (glossary, source notes, bibliography, websites, index) (Nonfiction. 12 & up)"
An intelligent examination of food that probes how it is produced, procured and delivered to consumers--or not. Read full book review >