"A unique look at a familiar period in history. (bibliography) (Historical fiction. 12-18)"
It is the 1920s, the age of Prohibition, the automobile, and the speak-easy. Even in rural Minnesota there is money to be made for anyone willing to bend the rules.
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"Here's hoping for more transportation-themed adventures from this daring (and endearing) duo. (Picture book. 3-7)"
Children intrigued by the idea of a ride in a "one-horse open sleigh" will enjoy this humorous story of a girl and her dog experiencing an old-fashioned mode of winter transportation.
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"Just as prickly as its heroine, this book requires an audience ready for its sobering back story. (Picture book. 4-7)"
Violet the cat finds it hard to make friends with her new owners' two dogs until they show their loyalty despite her unfriendliness.
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"A note for parents: Duct tape works well to repair holes torn in snow pants by otter sliding; after reading this book you may need a couple rolls. (Picture book. 3-6)"
Proving to both his family and himself that he is finally big enough, Little Otter faces down danger and saves his family in this satisfying follow-up to Casanova's Utterly Otterly Day (2008).
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"Hoyt's marvelous caricatures are worth thousands of words, making this hilarious tall tale not only a plug for books and reading but an outsized winner. (Picture book. 4-8)"
It takes one ingenious little boy to defuse a threat that has a whole town quaking in its boots.
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"Casanova's onomatopoeic rhymes may take some practice before they fall trippingly from the tongue, but once mastered they complement the art to a tee. (Picture book. 4-8)"
Otter play gets its visual due in this adorable tale of one little otter's determination to prove "he's a big otter now."
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"Still, this is a worthwhile book about a rarely documented facet of the war that some readers will find fascinating. (Historical fiction. 9-12)"
When the Germans invade Norway in the spring of 1940, ten-year-old Marit and her little brother Lars are sent to the tiny island of Godoy to live with their grandfather and aunt while their parents, an English teacher and an engineer, join the Resistance.
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"His polished illustrations create distinct personalities for the two dogs, with big, laid-back George contrasting nicely with tiny, wiry Zippity. (Picture book. 4-7)"
In this well-written story, George is an older Bassett Hound who enjoys a sedate life: resting on the couch, napping in the hammock and quietly riding on the center seat of his owners' fishing boat.
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"Hoyt's closing vignette depicts the girl and her dog, alone at last, heading off for an evening excursion, a satisfying dénouement to a very hectic day. (Picture book. 3-6)"
A girl sets out on a canoe ride and is joined by her dog, then a variety of animal passengers in Casanova's (When Eagles Fall, p. 877, etc.) buoyant outing.
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"The author's note describes her hands-on research with eagle experts and includes several Web sites where naturalists can learn more. (Fiction. 10-12)"
Thirteen-year-old Alexis has been "banished" (her word) by her mother, who lives in San Diego, to International Falls, Minnesota, where her father is the foremost authority on the bald eagle.
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"As much about the changing character of Hai Li Bu's community as about his own selflessness, this multilayered tale will leave readers moved and thoughtful. (Picture book/folk tale. 7-10)"
In this spare retelling of a Chinese folk tale, a hunter receives a wonderful gift that ultimately costs him his life.
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