Harmless by Dana Reinhardt.

Ever have a moment as a teen where you were caught in a situation and realized that lying was going to be much easier than telling the truth?  That is exactly what this book is about.  It is the second book by Dana Reinhardt, author of A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life, which was a Cybils Award finalist in the teen category. 

Three high school freshman friends, Emma, Anna and Mariah get caught in a situation that they should not have been in.  So they make up a little lie, saying that Emma was attacked by a man and Anna and Mariah save her.  But the lie spirals out of control.  Anna and Mariah are seen as heroes, Emma sees herself as a victim, and the community goes on a manhunt for the perpetrator.  Then a girl in a neighboring town goes missing and a vagrant who frequents both communities is accused of the crime.  Now the three girls have very big decisions to make.  Do they allow an innocent man to go to jail for a made-up crime or do they admit to family, friends and the entire community that they were lying from the beginning.

This book is far more complex than the brief storyline I have written above.  It offers a glimpse into three unique girls who all struggle with their lies in different ways and from different perspectives.  Additionally, all three families of the girls are unique and interesting; all reacting differently to the crisis of the attack and to their daughters. 

Reinhardt is an author who is not afraid of truly delving into the psyches of her characters, revealing depths that otherwise could be left unexplored by other authors.  She has a gift for showing emotions and not telling readers about them, making her characters all the more genuine.

There is sexuality in the novel, but nothing happens in front of the reader.  Mariah is sexually active with her older boyfriend, which speaks directly to her character and her family situation.   The topic is used deftly in the story itself and is not treated lightly.

Recommend this to readers who enjoyed Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson.  They make very interesting companion novels. 

Pip & Squeak by Ian Schoenherr.

Pip and Squeak are two mice who are off to a party for Gus.  But distracted by the snow, they forget Gus’ present.  They travel over a frozen landscape, trying to find another gift for their friend.  When they discover the snowman’s carrot nose, they think the orange color means that it is cheese.  Since they found nothing better, they haul the carrot to Gus’ party where they find it was the perfect present after all.

If you are looking for good toddler books, this is certainly one.  Very brief words on each page, friendly animals, and oversized illustrations combine to form the perfect toddler or early preschool book.  Children will recognize familiar objects that are foreign to the mice and will immediately know that the present is perfect for Gus the second they see him.  Nicely designed, the book is great to share with a group for a wintry story time. 

Thunder Bunny by Barbara Berger.

I’m slowly realizing that I might have a thing for bunny books, but I’m going to tell you about this one anyway!  I think it may come from my love of Watership Down, read to me at the breakfast table as a child. 

Thunder Bunny is a bunny who arrived out of the blue, and her fur is the bright blue that you see on the cover image.  When she looks up into the sky, she sees that the blue is always there even if it is hidden by clouds or darkness.  And she decides that she has come from the sky.  The other bunnies scoff at her, but she knows she is right.  When a gust of wind startles the other rabbits back to their hole, Thunder runs right into the wind and rides it into the sky.  She tunnels into a dark part of the clouds and gets scared, until she reminds herself that she is “the blue.”  Then she lives up to her name and returns to earth to dazzle the other bunnies.

This book is so fabulous.  Talk about girl power!  And a wide embrace for the power of being different!  The illustrations are bright and will work well with a group.  My five-year-old was lost at the ending, but older children will understand that magic and power are at work and accept the ending without argument. 

I always appreciate books that take risks and end strangely.  This is one of them.  No neat tying of ends, no explanation, just amazement.  Share this interesting book with children first grade and older.  Much more than a nice spring title, this one will resonate with certain children who also feel different from the crowd.

Do Re Mi: If you can read music, thank Guido d’Arezzo by Susan L. Roth in association with Angelo Mafucci.

The fascinating story of d’Arezzo’s quest to create a way to write music is captured effectively in this picture book.  The book follows his life as he tries to persuade people to even consider that music can be written down.  Though he meets with disdain and failure again and again, d’Arezzo does not give up and finally finds a way to write music that is still used today.

Text in picture book biographies can often be too lengthy.  That is not the case here.  Roth has provided accessible text about a complicated story that tells children just enough without overpowering them with excessive details.  Combine that with the collage illustrations that capture the landscape, the struggle and the epiphany, and you have a very child-friendly biography.

I encourage music teachers to use this with elementary age children.  Any child taking piano lessons or other music lessons where they learn to read music will be fascinated to learn that writing music has not always existed. 

Lucia and the Light by Phyllis Root, illustrated by Mary Grandpre.

Lucia and her mother and baby brother live in the Far North in a cozy cabin where they are used to the cold winters.  But then days go by when the sun does not shine.  Lucia bravely sets off up the mountain to see what has happened to the sun.  She takes only a crust of bread, her tinderbox, and the white cat.  When she reaches the top of the mountain she discovers that the trolls have stolen the sun, allowing them to be out and about even during the day.  Lucia must find a way to trick the trolls and allow her to free the sun.

This book has such a feel of a traditional folktale, from the three helpful items to the rhythm of the story.  But in some ways it is even better.  I love the part where Lucia is skiing up the mountain in the darkness with just the sound of her skis repeating again and again:  Shoosh, shoosh.  Lovely, quiet, and a very effective way to build tension.  A large part of the success of this picture book are the illustrations.  As you can see from the cover art, deep colors are used with abandon.  When the sun is finally returned to the sky, the oranges and yellows are almost blinding after the morose colors from before.  Children will respond immediately to the illustrations and the story.

Recommended for reading aloud to first and second graders, this is a story that can also be shared with younger listeners in smaller groups.  The book has more words than most picture books, but the story is gripping and even younger children should stay involved.

Conejito: a folktale from Panama by Margaret Read MacDonald, illustrated by Geraldo Valerio.

This is one of the CCBC Choices of the year, and everyone knows that you can’t go wrong with them!

Conejito’s school is on vacation so his mother sends him up the mountain to visit his aunt, Tia Monica who will feed him good things until he is fat! Fat! Fat!  On his way to his aunt’s he bumps into all sorts of animals who want to eat him.  But he tells them that he will be much fatter when he returns and that they should catch him then.  On the mountain with his aunt, he becomes not only fatter but also stronger, which serves him well on his way back down the mountain. 

The language of this book makes it a perfect read aloud.  There is a delightful mix of Spanish and English that creates a rhythm.  Even better, there are phrases that children will be able to repeat or help with throughout the story, learning Spanish as they contribute.  Add to the language, the bright whimsical illustrations and this is a great book to share with a group.  Even if you are shy about reading other languages aloud, try this!  It is worth the practice it takes. 

Recommended for preschoolers and Kindergarteners.  Best shared aloud with a group.

Tiger Moth: Insect Ninja and Tiger Moth and the Dragon Kite Contest by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Eric Lervold.

I didn’t expect much from these easy-reader graphic novels when I took them home for my sons.  I knew that the boys would be hooked by the cover art and the titles alone, but had no expectations of quality.  I was very pleasantly surprised.

Tiger Moth is a 4th grader who is also a ninja, he has an apprentice ninja named Kung Pow whom he is training in the ninja arts.  In the first book, Tiger Moth finds himself cast unhappily in the school play.  But a mystery unfolds when a painting is stolen from the stage.  Who could have done it?  In the second book, Tiger Moth must figure out who is cheating at the kite contest and how. 

The books are graphic novels, meaning that the art work carries a lot of the story line.  And the art is accessible and fun, just right for easy-readers.  Reluctant readers will pick these up happily.  Even better though is the fact that the humor of the stories create a venue for language play.  The puns are giggle-worthy and there are plenty of them. 

The age of the protagonist makes these great for elementary age reluctant readers, the format lifts it out of any stigma about easy reader books, and the puns make it more interesting for older children.  This is a winning combination. 

A Seed Is Sleepy by Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long.

Once in awhile a book comes my way that I must force my children to read as soon as it enters the house.  This is one of those books!  It immediately jumped to the top of our book pile.  Not that it was a hard sell at all!

This is the second book by the authors of An Egg Is Quiet, which I consider one of the top picture books of last year.  I think that this one is just as wondrous. 

This book continues the glory of the small and exquisite.  You can examine seeds closely from the familiar sunflower and dandelion to the exotic hamburger bean and devil’s claw.  This is a book to pore over with a child, linger over and discuss.  On the way, they will learn about the ways in which different seeds grow, how the plants grow from them, and the wonder of photosynthesis.  The text and illustrations work hand-in-hand to make the science accessible and the information inviting.  Share this with preschoolers through first graders to celebrate spring.

The Navigator by Eoin McNamee.

Looking for a great read for boys from about 5th grade through 8th?  Well, this is the book for you!

Owen finds himself adrift as time starts to run backwards.  He is saved by the Resisters who live on an island outside of time, fighting their enemies the Harsh.  The Harsh want to turn back time to before humans existed so that the land is barren and frozen.  The Resisters are the only ones who stand in their way.  Owen makes friends with Cati, the daughter of the Watcher, who stays awake while all of the other Resisters sleep until they are needed again to fight the Harsh.  He finds himself fighting for his father’s integrity as well as his own as the Resisters suspect that he is working for the Harsh. 

The book is a phenomenal read filled with action galore, great characters, amazing technology, and lots of tension.  It reads like a movie, the writing allowing visualization of all of the action.  The setting and situation are unique to this novel, making it a great gateway book into science fiction. 

Recommend this to boys who enjoy Artemis Fowl.  Yes, it doesn’t have fairies and it is more sci fi than fantasy, but the action is similar and the same kids should enjoy the novel.