Sleepers (Part II): 100 Books Too Good to Miss
RSSStaff -- School Library Journal, 09/01/1998
| Wendy Lukehart Coordinator of Children's and Young Adult Services Dauphin County Library System Harrisburg, Pennsylvania |
BROOKE, William J. Teller of Tales. 176p. HarperCollins. 1994. Tr $15. ISBN 0-06-023399-0; pap. $5.95. ISBN 0-06-440511-7.
Gr 6-12: The tellers--a hesitant old man and a feisty young girl--along with the tales themselves give Brooke the opportunity to probe the multiple meanings of language and classic plots.
DELAFOSSE, Claude and C. and D. Millet. Castles. 24p. Scholastic. 1993. Tr $11.95. ISBN 0-590-46377-2.
PreS-Gr 3: The small format, transparent overlays, rich color, and precise terminology combine with simple explanations to make this an absorbing introduction to castles for children as young as three.
JOOSSE, Barbara. Mama, Do You Love Me? illus. by Barbara La-vallee. 32p. Chronicle. 1991. Tr $14.95. ISBN 0-87701-759-X.
PreS-Gr 3: What child hasn't wondered about (and tested) the limits of parental love? An Inuit mother and daughter engage in an ageless dialog with intriguing vocabulary and a loving conclusion.
KNOX, Bob. The Great Art Adventure. 32p. Rizzoli. 1993. Tr $15.95. ISBN 0-8478-1688-5. o.p.
Gr K-6: This playful parody involving Dick and Jane's trip to a museum invites children to look closely at art from various times and places and delight in what they find.
NAPOLI, Donna Jo. Zel. 224p. Dutton. 1996. Tr $15.99. ISBN 0-525-45612-0.
Gr Gr 7 Up: What would drive a woman to steal another's baby? How would a girl's mind and body be affected by imprisonment in an isolated tower? In this version of "Rapunzel," young adults will taste, touch, and smell these scenes long after the book is closed.
POLACCO, Patricia. Thundercake. 32p. Philomel. 1990. Tr $15.95. ISBN 0-399-22231-6.
K-Gr 3: A wise babushka helps her granddaughter overcome a fear of storms by gathering cake ingredients from the farm animals between thunderclaps. Folk patterns, details of Russian culture, and an obvious familial bond make this reassuring story a winner.
SABUDA, Robert. Cookie Count. 12p. S & S. 1997. Tr $19.95. ISBN 0-689-81191-8.
PreS-Gr 3: Sabuda's pop-ups dazzle all who experience them. This one brings the added pleasure of color, texture, twirls, dynamic design, the inclusion of real foil and cellophane, and a sly story. Remarkable.
SPEDDEN, Daisy Corning. Polar the Titanic Bear. illus. by Laurie McGraw. unpaged. Little, Brown. 1994. Tr $17.95. ISBN 0-316-80625-0.
Gr 1 Up: An endearing toy creates immediate interest, while postcards and photos provide period flavor. Add the inherent adventure of the famous disaster, a sweet reunion, and a sensitively handled epilogue, and you have a handsome book that touches all ages.
WEIN, Elizabeth. Winter Prince. 208p. S & S/Atheneum. 1993. PLB $14.95. ISBN 0-689-31747-6.
Gr 7 Up: Young adults who enjoy Arthurian legends are immediately drawn into the passion, drama, and intrigue of this tale of King Artos's illegitimate son, Medraut, and his heir, Lleu. Wein's characters are complex, her language beautiful.
ZELINSKY, Paul, O. Wheels on the Bus: With Pictures that Move. illus. by author. 16p. Dutton. 1990. Tr $15.99. ISBN 0-525-44644-3.
PreS-Gr 1: The faces of young and old light up whenever this book is opened. Its moveable parts, multiple storylines, joyous palette, and wealth of detail invite repeated practice in pre-literacy skills and provide enormous pleasure.
| Kate McClelland Assistant Director Director of Youth Services Perrot Memorial Library Old Greenwich, Connecticut |
BAUER, Joan. Squashed. 208p. Delacorte. 1992. Tr $15.95. ISBN 0-385-30793-4; Dell. pap. $3.99. ISBN 0-440-21912-4.
Gr 5-8: A surprising, funny novel about competitive pumpkin-growing, dieting, dating, and a Sweet Corn Coquette Contest. Serious coming-of-age issues are handled with unerring humor.
CAREY, Peter. The Big Bazoohley. illus. by Abira Ali. 96p. Holt. 1995. Tr $14.95. ISBN 0-8050-3855-8; Putnam. pap. $3.95. ISBN 0-689-11420-5.
Gr 4-8: Sam enters the "Perfecto Kiddo" Contest hoping to win $10,000 for his impoverished parents. The magical whimsy and sly, exaggerated characterizations are very appealing.
HADDIX, Margaret Peterson. Running Out of Time. 192p. S & S. 1995. Tr $16. ISBN 0-689-80084-3; pap. $3.99. ISBN 0-689-81236-1.
Gr 5-8: When diphtheria threatens Clifton Village in 1840, Jessie learns that outside, the year is really 1996. She must escape the village to bring back medicine. Intriguing premise, crisply plotted.
HAUTMAN, Pete. Mr. Was. 216p. S & S. 1996. RTE $16. ISBN 0-689-81068-7; pap. $3.99. ISBN 0-689-81914-5.
Gr 6-9: Equal parts thriller, science fiction, and time travel. Jack struggles to unravel the mystery of his destiny.
HESSE, Karen. The Music of Dolphins. 181p. Scholastic. 1996. Tr $14.95. ISBN 0-590-89797-7; pap. $4.50. ISBN 0-590-89798-5.
Gr 5-8: A feral child raised by dolphins tries to reconcile her dolphin nature with the expectations of her human "rescuers." Innovative premise and haunting conclusion.
KINDL, Patrice. Owl in Love. 208p. Houghton. 1993. Tr $13.95. ISBN 0-395-66162-5; Puffin. pap. $4.50. ISBN 0-14-037129-X.
Gr 6-9: A comic fantasy about a girl who can take the form of an owl, and her ill-fated love for her science teacher. Readers easily suspend disbelief.
MARSDEN, John. Tomorrow, When the War Began. 288p. Houghton. 1995. Tr $15. ISBN 0-395-70673-4; Dell. pap. $3.99. ISBN 0-440-21985-X.
Gr 6-9: Teenagers returning from the Outback find their country invaded and their families taken prisoner. The dynamics of group survival compel readers in this chilling, apocalyptic page-turner.
NAPOLI, Donna Jo. Zel. 224p. Dutton. 1996. Tr $15.99. ISBN 0-525-45612-0.
Gr 7 Up: A multilayered, psychologically complex examination of love, jealousy, and maternal obsession in a stylish retelling of the "Rapunzel" story.
PHILBRICK, Rodman. Freak the Mighty. 176p. Scholastic/Blue Sky. 1993. Tr $14.95. ISBN 0-590-47412-X; pap. $3.99. ISBN 0-590-47413-8.
Gr 5-8: A tiny genius and the hulking Max become the adventurous duo, "Freak the Mighty." The blend of triumph and tragedy are a winning combination.
WAUGH, Sylvia. The Mennyms. 216p. Greenwillow. 1994. Tr $16. ISBN 0-688-13070-4; Avon. pap. $4.50. ISBN 0-380-72528-2.
Gr 3-6: An improbable but believable fantasy about a family of life-sized rag dolls living like humans in a quiet London neighborhood. Ingenious plot laced with adventure and humor.
| Cooper Renner Librarian The Coldwell School El Paso, Texas |
BANYAI, Istvan. Zoom. 64p. Viking. 1995. Tr $13.99. ISBN 0-670-85804-8; pap. $5.99. ISBN 0-14-055774-1.
Gr 3-6: Zoom teases, tricks, and finally satisfies young readers' sense of place while providing a vivid lesson in point of view.
BOTTNER, Barbara. Bootsie Barker Bites. illus. by Peggy Rathman. 32p. Putnam. 1992. Tr $15.95. ISBN 0-399-22125-5; S & S. pap. $5.95. ISBN 0-698-11427-2.
K-Gr 3: The terrifying Bootsie gets her comeuppance in this funny and exaggerated tale of competition and cooperation.
BYARS, Betsy. Bingo Brown's Guide to Romance. 160p. Viking. 1992. Tr $14.99. ISBN 0-670-84491-8; pap. $4.99. ISBN 0-14-036080-8.
Gr 4-7: In this comic novel, which demands to be read aloud, Bingo prepares a guide to romance for his much younger brother.
CARLSRUH, Dan K. The Cannibals of Sunset Drive. 143p. S & S/Macmillan. 1993. PLB $13.95. ISBN 0-02-717110-8. o.s.i.
Gr 3-7: Three boys swear a local monastery houses vampire monks until Mike befriends the sole surviving Brother in this funny but heartfelt novel.
EWING, Lynne. Drive-By. 85p. HarperCollins. 1996. Tr $13.95. ISBN 0-06-027125-6; PLB $13.89. ISBN 0-06-027126-4; pap. $4.50. ISBN 0-06-440649-0.
Gr 4-7: Tito learns firsthand the dangers of drugs and gangs in this easy-to-read, violent, though not graphic, novel of murder and betrayal.
GARLAND, Sherry. I Never Knew Your Name. illus. by Sheldon Greenberg. 32p. Ticknor & Fields. 1994. Tr $14.95. ISBN 0-395-69686-0.
Gr 2-7: A young boy who misses his father feels sadness and remorse when a lonely teenaged neighbor commits suicide. Accompanied by evocative, shadowy illustrations.
GERSTEIN, Mordicai, retel. The Shadow of a Flying Bird: A Folktale from Kurdistan. illus. by retel. 32p. Hyperion. 1994. Tr $15.95. ISBN 0-7868-0016-X; PLB $16.49. ISBN 0-7868-2012-8.
Gr 2-5: When it's time for the prophet Moses to die, no angel is brave enough to bring his reluctant soul to heaven.
MARTIN, Jane R. & Patricia Marx. Now Everybody Really Hates Me. illus. by Roz Chast. 32p. HarperCollins. 1993. Tr $14.95. ISBN 0-06-021293-4; PLB $14.89. ISBN 0-06-02194-2; pap. $4.95. ISBN 0-06-443440-0.
Gr 2-5: Patty Ann, sent to her room for misbehavior, plots revenge and escape in this sardonic tale.
PECK, Richard. Lost in Cyberspace. 160p. Dial. 1995. Tr $14.99. ISBN 0-8037-1931-0; pap. $4.99. ISBN 0-14-037856-1.
Gr 4-7: Two prep-schoolers travel in time and space, to mostly humorous effect, when one of them invents a new computer program.
SOTO, Gary. Off and Running. illus. by Eric Velasquez. 136p. Delacorte. 1996. Tr $15.95. ISBN 0-385-32181-3; Dell. pap. $4.50. ISBN 0-440-41432-6.
Gr 4-6: It's "girls vs. boys" in this battle for the class presidency, which also includes many homey details of Mexican-American life.
| Bruce Anne Shook Media Specialist Mendenhall Middle School Greensboro, North Carolina |
CLEMENTS, Andrew. Frindle. illus. by Brian Selznick. 106p. S & S. 1996. Tr $15. ISBN 0-689-80669-8; pap. $3.99. ISBN 0-689-81876-9.
Gr 3-6: A precocious fifth grader matches wits with his stern teacher in a story that skillfully demonstrates how language evolves. Children will delight in Nick's adventures as he invents a new word. Fabulous read-aloud.
COTTONWOOD, Joe. The Adventures of Boone Barnaby. 240p. Scholastic/Apple. 1992. pap. $3.40. ISBN 0-590-43547-7.
Gr 6-8: A trio of multicultural main characters contends with conceited soccer rivals, arson, and a miserly villain in this humorous yet touching novel with appeal for middle-school boys.
GRIFFIN, Peni. Switching Well. 224p. S & S. 1993. PLB $16. ISBN 0-689-50581-7; Puffin. pap. $4.99. ISBN 0-14-036910-4.
Gr 5-8: Two unhappy girls from different centuries switch places only to discover that every era has its problems. A time travel story with strong appeal for middle-grade girls.
LYONS, Mary E. Letters from a Slave Girl: The Story of Harriet Jacobs. 192p. Scribner. 1992. Tr $14.95. ISBN 0-684-19446-5; S & S. pap. $3.95. ISBN 0-689-80015-0.
Gr 7-12: A fictionalized account of the life of a North Carolina woman who hid for seven years in an attic to escape slavery. As riveting as The Diary of Anne Frank.
PARK, Barbara. Mick Harte Was Here. 89p. Knopf. 1995. Tr $15. ISBN 0-679-87088-1; PLB $16.99. ISBN 0-679-97088-6; pap. $4.99. ISBN 0-679-88203-0.
Gr 4-7: This small gem of a book paints a realistic picture of a fun-loving boy who dies needlessly in a bike accident. Young readers will laugh at Mick's mischievous nature and mourn his death.
PIERCE, Tamora. Wild Magic: The Immortals. 272p. S & S/Atheneum. 1992. PLB $17. ISBN 0-689-31761-1; Random. pap. $4.99. ISBN 0-679-88288-X.
Gr 6-10: Courageous defender of the kingdom of Tortal, Daine possesses a gift that enables her to communicate with animals and fantastic creatures such as dragons. Superb fantasy with a page-turning story line.
SEBESTYEN, Ouida. Out of Nowhere. 192p. Orchard. 1994. Tr $16.95. ISBN 0-531-06839-0; PLB $17.99. ISBN 0-531-08689-5; Puffin. pap. $4.99. ISBN 0-14-037640-2.
Gr 6-9: Three unlikely characters come together after each is abandoned by someone he loves. A warm story about a group of misfits who learn to trust and become a family.
STAPLES, Suzanne Fisher. Dangerous Skies. 231p. Farrar/Frances Foster Bks. 1996. Tr $16. ISBN 0-374-31694-5; HarperCollins. pap. $4.95. ISBN 0-06-440683-0.
Gr 7-10: A haunting, powerful novel about the destructive power of racism. Well-drawn characters and a superbly realized setting make this a book that will resonate with middle- and high-school readers.
WOLFF, Virginia E. The Mozart Season. 88p. Holt. 1991. Tr $15.95. ISBN 0-8050-1571-X.
Gr 6-9: This account of a musical prodigy and her preparations for a competition is underlaid with rich subplots. Adolescent girls who aspire to excellence in any area will readily identify with Allegra and her family.
WOOD, June R. The Man Who Loved Clowns. 192p. Putnam. 1992. Tr $15.95. ISBN 0-399-21888-2; Hyperion. pap. $4.95. ISBN 0-7868-1084-X.
Gr 6-8: As 13-year-old Delrita deals who has feelings about her uncle who has Down's Syndrome, she must also face the death of her parents. The story is sad without being maudlin and offers opportunities for discussions about mentally handicapped people.
| John Sigwald Librarian Unger Memorial Library Plainview, Texas |
BILLINGSLEY, Franny. Well Wished. 170p. S & S/Atheneum. 1997. Tr $16. ISBN 0-689-81210-8.
Gr 5-8: Employing meticulous prose, Billingsley weaves a magical story about careless wishes come true, using the framework of Andersen's "The Snow Queen."
FRIEDRICH, Elizabeth. Leah's Pony. illus. by Michael Garland. unpaged. Boyds Mills. 1996. RTE $14.95. ISBN 1-56397-189-5.
Gr 1-4: Leah's Pony is the heartbreaking--and uplifting--story of one girl's selflessness as she tries to save the family farm during the Depression. Garland's oil paintings are exquisite.
GAEDDERT, LouAnn. Hope. 160p. S & S/Atheneum. 1995. Tr $14. ISBN 0-689-80128-9; pap. $3.99. ISBN 0-689-80382-6.
Gr 4-8: In 1851, orphans Hope, 12, and her fragile brother, John, 9, are unceremoniously dumped on the Shakers. The children come to surprisingly different conclusions about community vs. individualism.
HAUSMAN, Gerald. Doctor Moledinky's Castle: A Hometown Tale. 151p. S & S. 1995. Tr $15. ISBN 0-689-80019-3.
Gr 6-9: Twelve-year-old Andy chronicles the dreamlike summer of 1957 and the weird events revolving around stolen chicken heads, the secret of Brylcream, and, of course, the museum and zoo's mysterious benefactor, Doctor Moledinky.
JENNINGS, Paul. Unreal!: Eight Surprising Stories. 112p. Puffin. 1995. pap. $3.99. ISBN 0-14-037577-5.
Gr 4-7: Classroom read-alouds for upper elementary students (and older) don't get any better than these bizarre, gross, touching, eerie, ironic, and often uproarious tales.
LINDBERGH, Reeve. If I'd Known Then What I Know Now. illus. by Kimberly B. Root. 32p. Viking. 1994. Tr $13.99. ISBN 0-670-85351-8. o.s.i.; pap. $4.99. ISBN 0-14-055772-5.
Gr K-Gr 4: An amusingly accurate--and affectionate--homage to mechanically inept fathers as seen through the eyes of a loving son who chronicles 12 years as a home improvement assistant.
MUSE, Daphne, ed. Prejudice: Stories About Hate, Ignorance, Revelation, & Transformation. 256p. Hyperion. 1995. Tr $16.95. ISBN 0-7868-0024-0; pap. $5.95. ISBN 0-7868-1057-2.
Gr 7 Up: Fifteen short stories show prejudice in as many incarnations, including various forms of racism, sexism, homophobia, religious persecution, and discrimination against the overweight and the disabled.
SAN SOUCI, Robert D. The Red Heels. illus. by Gary Kelley. 32p. Dial. 1996. Tr $15.99. ISBN 0-8037-1133-6; PLB $15.89. ISBN 0-8037-1134-4.
Gr 4-7: Kelley's lavish pastels complement San Souci's gentle tale of a colonial New England shoemaker who falls in love with a beautiful witch who has a secret delight--dancing.
SHALANT, Phyllis. Beware of Kissing Lizard Lips. 160p. Dutton. 1995. Tr $14.99. ISBN 0-525-45199-4; pap. $3.99. ISBN 0-14-038422-7.
Gr 5-7: Puny sixth grader Zach fears "the Lizard," classmate Elizabeth Ann Monroe. He's also envious of best friend Dunk's athleticism and wit, and wants Nikki to teach him tae kwon do--and confidence.
YACCARINO, Dan. Big Brother Mike. unpaged. Hyperion. 1993. Tr $13.95. ISBN 1-56282-329-9. o.p.
PreS-Gr 3: Big brother Mike (with big orange hair) usually intimidates little Danny, but occasionally Mike transforms from terrorist to benevolent big brother. Yaccarino's delightful tale of sibling rivalry is filled with vibrant gouache paintings.
| The Most Cited Sleepers These books appeared on at least two of our reviewers' Sleepers lists. |
| Zel, by Donna Jo Napoli
Mick Harte Was Here, by Barbara Park Letters from a Slave Girl, by Mary Lyons Out of Nowhere, by Ouida Sebestyen Frindle, by Andrew Clements |
End Part II.
