Reviews

CHILDREN'S FICTION

Box Out
Written by John Coy
Scholastic, 2008
ISBN 9780439870320

Chris Crutcher fans will also gravitate towards this book; both Crutcher and Coy are masters at putting the focus on the characters and drawing non-sports fans into the sports genre.

PICTURE BOOKS

To Be Like the Sun
Written by Susan Marie Swanson
Illus. by Margaret Chodos-Irvine
Harcourt, 2008
ISBN 9780152057961

Beautifully told, this cyclical story does more than share the process of sunflower growth....Use this story to share the miracle of growth with readers who, too, are growing in their understanding of botanical processes.

INFORMATION BOOKS

The Trouble Begins at 8: A Life of Mark Twain in the Wild, Wild West
Written by Sid Fleischman
Collins, 2008
ISBN 9780061344312

As best he can, Sid Fleischman presents the child, young man, maturing man, and older man who was born Samuel Clemens and became Mark Twain. Every page is stuffed with intriguing information about the man and his times.

POETRY

Opposites, More Opposites
and a Few Differences
Richard Wilbur
Harcourt Inc, 2006
ISBN: 978-0-15205-612-4

Through silly rhymes, riddles and often twisted logic, Pulitzer Prize winner and former US Poet Laureate Richard C. Wilbur helps the reader look at words and their relationship to each other in a brand new way. First published in 1973, Opposites, More Opposites and a Few Differences has not lost its charm or appeal to readers of all ages. This is word play at its cleverest.

OLDIES, BUT GOODIES ...

Dragons in the Waters
Madeleine L'Engle
Farrar, Straus & Giroux
originally published in 1976
ISBN: 978-0-4409-1719-9

When Madeleine L’Engle’s books are discussed, this title is seldom mentioned, but it is my favorite of all of her books. I see that it is currently out of print, but it’s worth requesting from your library—it’s a good read-aloud.

BOOKS FOR TEENS

Climbing the Stairs
by Padma Venkatraman
G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2008
ISBN 9780399247460

Set against the backdrop of World War II, which affected everyone throughout the world, this is an ideal book to give to readers looking for something new.

WITHIN THE FIELD

Mary Casanova and YOU
Mary Casanova
Libraries Unlimited, 2006
ISBN 9781591584056

When an author takes time out from writing to reflect on what made them the writer they are, it can be unaffecting or engrossing. This book is definitely the latter.