Kidsreads.com - Cool Reads for February

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Cool New Books for February

Sonny, Margaret and Skiff aren't even teenagers yet, but these three young people are sure acting like grown-ups. You can learn more about their individual problems and how they decide to handle them in this month's roundup of cool new books.

Also, fans of the Little House series will be thrilled to know that a chapter-book biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder is now available. Historian William Anderson tells the story of Laura's entire life, including events that she herself never wrote about.

And Wendelin Van Draanen, author of the popular Sammy Keyes series, has returned with a brand new series about a boy who creates a new identity for himself on the Internet --- a superhero named Shredderman who fights for truth and justice.

ALIEN IN A BOTTLE
Kathy Mackel
HarperCollins
ISBN: 0060292814
Ages 8-12
208 pages

When Sean Winger discovers two extraterrestrials in a bottle on the beach, they make an intergalactic deal: For protection against their enemy, Dinn Tauro, the two aliens grant Sean three wishes. How can Sean refuse when he desperately needs glass and fire to create the sculpture of his dreams? Can Sean do it all --- or will he end up spinning through eternity on the Inter-Dimensional wheel?

HIDDEN ROOTS
Joseph Bruchac
Scholastic
ISBN: 0439353580
Ages 9-12
208 pages

No matter how hard eleven-year-old Sonny and his mother try, they can't predict his father Jake's sudden rages, which can turn physical in an instant. His anger only intensifies after long days working at the local paper mill and when Uncle Louis, a quiet, wise old man, visits. Thanks to the support of his mother and uncle --- and an unexpected friendship with a librarian --- Sonny gains the confidence to stand up to his father once and for all.

JASON AND THE GORGON'S BLOOD
YOUNG HEROES Series
Jane Yolen
HarperCollins
ISBN: 0060294523
Ages 8-12
256 pages

New York Times bestselling author Jane Yolen and Robert J. Harris continue their acclaimed Young Heroes series about the early adventures of legendary heroes and heroines. This thrilling story is about a young man who is destined to lead the Argonauts on one of the most famous quests in Greek history.

Jason is a young warrior in training --- and yet there's more to him than his simple appearance might suggest. Raised by the wise centaur Chiron and believing he's an orphan, Jason discovers that his true identity is not the only secret his guardian has been keeping. What he learns sends Jason and five of Chiron's other apprentices on a dangerous journey to save the kingdom of Iolcus from a horrible fate.

THE OUTCASTS OF 19 SCHUYLER PLACE
E.L. Konigsburg
Atheneum
ISBN: 0689866364
Ages 10-up
296 pages
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Margaret Rose Kane, Connor Kane's older half-sister in SILENT TO THE BONE, tells the story of the summer when she was 12. Her great-uncles, Alexander and Morris, rescue her from a terrible experience at Camp Talequa and bring her home.

For the last 45 years, Alexander and Morris have been building three giant towers in their backyard from scrap metal and pieces of glass and porcelain. But now, thanks to pressure from some powerful homeowners, the city council has voted to have the towers destroyed! Margaret Rose is outraged because she knows the towers are irreplaceable works of art that represent her great-uncles' dedication and hard work. To Margaret Rose, the towers sing of history --- and she's determined to make sure they always will.

PLANET YUMTHING'S DIY: Create, Design, Reinvent and Make it Yours
Ela Jaynes and Darren Greenblatt
Bantam Books
ISBN: 0553375954
Ages 10-14
96 pages

Attention all you crafty (and craft-challenged) girls. These cool, easy and hip fashion accessory and home decor projects from best friends Ela Jaynes and Darren Greenblatt will give you the chance to show off your individuality --- and no sewing machine is required! Easy-to-follow steps will guide you through each project, and tons of illustrations make the process extra fun.

THE YOUNG MAN AND THE SEA
Rodman Philbrick
Blue Sky Press
ISBN: 0439368294
Ages 9-up
160 pages
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This remarkable story of love and determination centers on a twelve-year-old boy named Skiff Beaman. Skiff's life is anything but easy --- his mother recently died and his fisherman dad won't get off the couch to do anything, preferring instead to drink beer and sleep all day. Therefore, Skiff must take care of everything by himself, from cleaning the house to making sure he and his father are well fed.

When their boat sinks, Skiff learns that it will cost thousands to buy a new engine. Unfortunately, his lobster traps won't earn him nearly enough, but he eventually comes up with a plan that may save the boat and get his family back on its feet again --- though the risks may outweigh the benefits.

HALIBUT JACKSON
David Lucas
Knopf Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 0375826904
Ages 3-8
32 pages

Halibut Jackson is a shy person who stays indoors most of the time. When he does venture outside, he prefers not to be noticed at all. He loves making his own suits, especially those that help him blend into the background. So when Halibut is invited to a party at the palace, he decides to make a palace-patterned suit --- that way, no one will know he's there. Unfortunately for Halibut, it's a garden party! And everyone notices him.

How will Halibut handle the attention? Will he finally be able to emerge from his shell? Shy people everywhere, young and old, will appreciate this debut effort from author and illustrator David Lucas.

PRAIRIE GIRL: The Life of Laura Ingalls Wilder
William Anderson
illustrated by Renee Graef
HarperCollins
ISBN: 0060289732
Ages 7-10
80 pages

Laura Ingalls Wilder based the Little House books on her childhood growing up on the Western frontier. But she didn't write about everything that happened in her life, and her books end when she was still a young woman.

Now, award-winning historian William Anderson tells the story of Laura's entire life, including events that she herself didn't write about. Readers will learn about the two years her family spent in Iowa running a hotel, and the life she led with her husband and daughter after the Little House books ended. Fans of "half-pint" and the Little House series will simply adore this new chapter-book biography.

PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL: A Story About Braille
Marion Ripley
illustrated by Colin Backhouse
Dial Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 0803729006
Ages 5-up
32 pages

In this uplifting story, Laura has discovered that her Australian pen pal is blind, so she decides to learn to use a Brailler machine. It's an exciting challenge, and soon she and Malcolm are corresponding in Braille. Laura has always wanted to have her very own private and confidential letters --- and now she does!

A genuine Braille message is printed at the back of the book along with an alphabet key so readers can experience how Braille works, and a short afternote shares some interesting facts about Braille.

SAY WHAT?
Margaret Peterson Haddix
illustrated by James Bernardin
Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
ISBN: 0689862555
Ages 6-10
96 pages

Sukie and her older brothers, Brian and Reed, aren't sure what's going on with their parents --- they're acting very strangely. For example, when Sukie runs in the house, her dad asks, "If all your friends jumped off a bridge, would you jump off a bridge too?" When she eats peas with her fingers, Mom yells, "You'll put an eye out with that thing!" Sukie and her brothers decide to investigate exactly what's wrong with them --- and what they discover leads to a kids-against-parents war!

SHREDDERMAN: Secret Identity
Wendelin Van Draanen
illustrated by Brian Biggs
Knopf Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 0375823514
Ages 7-10
144 pages

Alvin Bixby and Nolan Byrd are polar opposites. Alvin (nicknamed Bubba) is the school bully, with knuckles of steel, hideous breath and a foul temper. Nolan (nicknamed Nerd) is a math genius who's puny and has trouble keeping his shoes tied. He is absolutely sick and tired of being pushed around by Bubba and watching him pick on other kids.

So when Mr. Green asks his class to become reporters, Nolan decides he'll write an exposé on Bubba. He doesn't want to sign his name to it (that would mean the end of his very existence), so Nolan creates a secret identity for himself on the Internet. He launches Shredderman.com as a place where truth and justice prevail, and bullies get what's coming to them.

SUPERDOG: The Heart of a Hero
Caralyn Buehner
illustrated by Mark Buehner
HarperCollins
ISBN: 0066236207
Ages 4-8
32 pages

Dexter is a little dog --- so little in fact that his fellow canines forget to invite him to play and Cleevis the tomcat bullies him. But little Dexter has big dreams. With some studying, a whole lot of muscle building and a brand-new hero suit, Dexter becomes SUPERDOG! Soon, everyone is asking for his help --- including Cleevis.

Husband-and-wife team Mark and Caralyn Buehner have created a true hero in Dexter --- a character who has the determination and spirit to prove that he is capable of accomplishing great things, despite his small size.

--- Compiled and written by Tom Donadio