Deconstructing Dylan is an interesting look at the future.  It is 2014, and Dylan is a boy interested in insects, the Loch Ness Monster and girls.  His first girlfriend dumps him because he is so strange, but then a new girl arrives in school.  Robyn is dark, mysterious and also interested in strange subjects like death and Tibet.  The two of them hit it off.  But Dylan knows that something is slightly wrong about him.  He continues to have strange dreams where he is someone else.  Dylan’s parents are both scientists who worked in genetics, but have both left the field.    When Dylan discovers a photograph of himself wearing clothes he doesn’t remember and  having longer hair, he starts to unravel the mystery of his life.

I enjoyed this book because though it is scientific, there is a lot of softness to the character of Dylan.  It is a very introspective book that reveals the personality of a boy who is out of synch with his peers and his parents.  The book does slow down in the middle, when readers have solved the mystery but Dylan is just beginning to understand, but the ending makes up for it.  While not a fast-paced action book, it will hold the attention of most readers.  Teens who also feel out of step in their lives will enjoy this book, as will those interested in science. 

The Finalists for the LA Times Book Prize for Young Adult Fiction are

John Green for Looking for Alaska
Margo Lanagan for Black Juice
Per Nilsson for You & You & You
Andreas Steinhofel for The Center of the World
Markus Zusak for I Am the Messenger

The 2006 Edgar Award Nominees are:

Best Young Adult

Down the Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrahams
Last Shot by John Feinstein
Quid Pro Quo by Vicki Grant
Young Bond, Book One: Silverfin by Charlie Higson
Spy Goddess, Book One: Live & Let Shop by Michael Spradlin

Best Juvenile

Shakespeare’s Secret by Elise Broach
Wright & Wong: The Case of the Nana-Napper by Laura J. Burns and Melinda Metz
The Missing Manatee by Cynthia DeFelice
Flush by Carl Hiassen
The Boys of San Joaquin by D. James Smith

Little Mama Forgets by Robin Cruise, illustrated by Stacey Dressen-McQueen is a gem of a book.  It starts with the gorgeous line: “Luciana Maria Isabela Galvez-Molinero.  My grandmother’s name is a morning song.”  Lovely.  It is the story of Lucy, a little girl, whose grandmother lives with her.  Her grandmother is growing more and more forgetful, but Lucy pairs each thing that her grandmother forgets with something that she remembers.  The words are poetic while the illustrations are bright colored and filled with life.  It has just the right amount of text to use for a story time.  This is not a book about the sadness of forgetting, but about the joy of remembering. 

Steve Barancik has made a site that offers recommended books for children, advice on how to find/create free kids books, and information for new authors on writing and publishing.  But most of all, his site is filled with great lines that will re-inspire readers about the importance of children’s literature and reading:

“Think. What activity can you encourage that will be more vital to your child’s future than a love of reading?“

YALSA has announced the new Teen Read Week 2006 website.  The site is already filled with great ideas for programs and ways to interpret the Get Active theme.  You could do a Get Physical, Get Active in Politics, Get Outdoors, Get Crafty or many more! 

Sail Away, Little Boat by Janet Buell, illustrated by Jui Ishida. 

Lovely, lovely, lovely!  This picture book is a combination of poetic language and evocative illustrations.  It is the story of a little toy sailboat that floats down a little brook, into a river and finally into the ocean where some children discover it.  The illustrations are stylized and really evoke the feeling of a brook and a river.  The artist stays away from making everything blue and instead selects a palette of deep greens and greys.  The text of the book is gently rhyming poetry that matches the illustrations perfectly. 

Children will enjoy seeing all of the animals along the little boat’s trip and realizing how rivers pour into the ocean.   The book’s poetry reads aloud well and the entire trip will quietly captivate your preschool audience.  This is definitely a journey worth sharing. 

Overboard! by Sarah Weeks, illustrated by Sam Williams. 

Doing a toddler story time?  Do I have a book for you!  Overboard is the story of a little baby bunny who enjoys throwing all sorts of things out of his high chair, his crib, the bathtub, etc.  The book has charming pictures that share the joy of throwing things down.  The illustrations are combined with a bouncy, rhythmic text that will engage toddlers and preschoolers immediately.  This one is perfect for sharing with groups but will also be enjoyed one-on-one.