The Gingerbread Girl by Lisa Campbell Ernst.

A new take on the Gingerbread Boy, this picturebook features his younger sister.  A year has passed since the elderly couple created the Gingerbread Boy and they decide to try once again, filling this little Gingerbread Girl with candy.  While she is baking in the oven, the couple talk about the many mistakes the Gingerbread Boy made, especially by running away.  But once they peek in the door at the girl, she is up and running too, setting off to prove that she is much smarter than her older brother.  The story follows the same path as the traditional one as the Gingerbread Girl runs past animals, people, and more until reaching the river and the fox.  But this one ends very differently much to the pure joy of children listening. 

I enjoyed Ernst’s ability to mirror the traditional but bring in modern touches and a new run-away rhyme.  I also enjoyed her unmistakable art with the sweet-covered gingerbread, the surprised humans, and the many animals.  Read this book to a class after reading the traditional version.  Preschoolers and kindergarteners alike will enjoy the revenge the Gingerbread Girl takes as well as the happy ending.

Incantation by Alice Hoffman.

This is the remarkable book that tells the story of Estrella, a teenage girl growing up in Spain around 1500.  She slowly realizes as the book progresses that she is somehow different than the others in her village, despite the fact that her family has lived there for 500 years.  As the details are slowly exposed, Estrella learns that her family are actually Marranos, Jews who live in secrecy because of all of the hatred and exclusion of Jews in the society.  Estrella also learns through the course of the book that she is more powerful and intelligent than she had ever realized.  When her best friend grows jealous because her cousin is courting Estrella, she does the unthinkable and turns in Estrella’s grandfather as a magician and heretic.  Estrella realizes at that point that there is a monster of hatred that all people must battle within themselves and that sometimes the monster is strong enough to overtake an entire society.

Hoffman’s language is pure poetry.  This slim volume is easily consumed, but you will find yourself stopping time and again simply to reread her words that breathe a detailed life into Estrella and her surroundings.  There is a beauty here that adds to the pain and the horror.  It is masterfully done, a book of poetry without verses.   The characterization is wonderful with the adults around Estrella become more and more human as their secrets are revealed. 

But I must comment more on the writing itself.  Here is a paragraph from the first page which made me know immediately that this was a book I was going to love.

“I have crossed over to a place where I never thought I’d be.  I am someone I would have never imagined.  A secret.  A dream.  I am this, body and soul.  Burn me.  Drown me.  Tell me lies.  I will still be who I am.” 

It is writing like this, characters like these, that make writing for teens so expansive and amazing.  Occasionally I think about reading more books for adults and leaving behind books for teens, but then I find a gem like this one, a book that will stay with me for years, that I will recommend to others whether they read books for teens or not.  It is pure, graceful poetry.

Aggie and Ben: three stories by Lori Ries, illustrated by Frank W. Dormer. 

This is a charming early chapter book!  Ben is a young boy who gets to select a new pet.  He thinks about all of his options, but finally decides on a puppy, Aggie.  In the second chapter, Ben decides to pretend to be a puppy like Aggie, but sometimes Aggie’s habits are a little off-putting.  And finally, Ben and Aggie try to sleep through the night together but Aggie continues to see strange things in the dark. 

The writing by Ries is clever.  I especially enjoyed Ben’s thoughts as he considered each choice for a pet and rejected them.  The humor is understated but children will immediately understand it.  Just a lovely, easy read.  Dormer’s illustrations give the book a feel of an early reader graphic novel where the illustrations are self-contained and boxed in, giving a comic strip feel to the book.   I think this will increase child appeal even more.  The text on each page is quite brief and not overwhelming at all for new readers.  This one is certainly a winner.

Give this to newly emergent readers.  Boys and girls alike will fall in love with the characters and will join me in waiting eagerly for the next volume of Ben and Aggie stories.

My Mother’s Sari by Sandhya Rao, illustrated by Nina Sabnani.

An interesting mix of fabrics and painting, this picture book captures the essence of the beauty, grace and flexibility of a sari through the eyes of a child.  With pieces of real sari material, we see a small girl interact with the sari and show the many ways it can be:  long like a train, used as a hammock, or a safe blanket for a nap.  The joy on the child’s face as she explores the vibrant fabrics is contagious.   The words are simple and evocative, especially the final spread.  They will encourage all children to explore, play and dream. 

This is a great choice to add to units on clothing, because for some children it will serve as a window to another culture and for others they will see themselves and their mothers’ clothing reflected back to them.  Because of the simplicity of the text, it can be shared with preschoolers.  The text is brief enough for toddlers, but they may not understand some of the more ephemeral charm of the book. 

Elusive Moose by Joan Gannji, illustrated by Clare Beaton. 

This is a book where small children can have the joy of finding the moose on each page.  Gannji has created poetry that carries children through the illustrations, naming the animals that readers see.  Her poetry is comfortable and clean, perfect for reading aloud.  The illustrations by Beaton are exceedingly well done in a variety of fabrics, stitches, and beadings.  When I showed the book to children, they ran their hands over the cover and each page to see if it felt like fabric.  Everything from stars to flowers to moths to berries and leaves are captured in fabric collages. 

Share this one as a read aloud for toddlers and preschoolers.  It will be useful for units on wildlife or animals.  But can also be used in a program on seasons and the changes that can be seen as the moose moves through the year. 

The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin.

I started hearing about this book much earlier in the year from people who read the ARC.  I just couldn’t wait to get my hands on it.  Some books dont’ live up to the high expectations, but this one does.  I would rate it one of the best of the year, if not the best. 

Matthew has rules to survive living with his mother.  He pretends to be grateful and loving when she is in a good mood, never crosses her in a bad mood, and protects his two younger siblings from her as best he can.  His mother is a violent promiscuous drug user who struggles with her own demons.  Matthew is trapped because he can never leave his sisters behind with her.  But then Matthew finds a man in a quick mart who stands up to an abusive father and realizes that this man, Murdoch may be able to help them.  As Matthew starts to try to find Murdoch, his mother finds out and begins her own relationship with Murdoch that will drag him into the family’s drama. 

This novel is about abuse, bravery, duty, and strength.  It is about living in fear as both a child and an adult.  It is about adults who can suddenly choose to be involved and in doing so can save children.  It is powerful, amazing, and breathtaking.  Werlin’s prose is raw, troubled, honest and angry, speaking directly from the gut.  Matthew is a complex character as are his younger sisters and each reacts to the abuse by their mother in a different and complicated way.  Adding power to the story, Nikki, the mother, is also not stereotypical, but demonstrates how abuse can be more than physical.  She is a frightening, horrid character, but readers will glimpse her humanity as well, which is a truly remarkable feat of authorship. 

This book calls out to be booktalked and will fly off the shelves.  It has a strong cover and can be recommended to all of the teens who enjoy A Child Called It.  It has a strong crossover appeal for adults and would make a great book discussion title for teen/parent book discussions.  This one is my top choice of the year so far. 

The Prince’s Bedtime by Joanne Oppenheim, illustrated by Miriam Latimer.

The young prince simply will not go to bed!  His royal parents try everything from warm millk to a soft quilt.  Finally they call out to the kingdom for help.  The doctor tries to give him sleeping draughts, but he refuses to take them.  He ends up the only one awake after everyone else gives them a sip.  Then dancers perform to get him tired, but again the prince is the only one still dancing at dawn.  The ideas continue from magic to large pillows, but no luck.  Until an old lady comes to the castle and pulls out a book.  A bedtime story.

Children will relate to the prince in the story as he stays awake far into the night.  They will also enjoy the humor of the all of the attempts to get the prince to sleep and the many ways they fail.  The book is written in rhyme which carries the story onward with the romping energy of the little prince.  The energetic, bright-colored and quirky illustrations also fill the book with zest and movement. 

While perfect as a bedtime story tucked under your own soft covers and with your own pillow, this would also be a winner at a pajama storytime or special pajama day at school.  I promise you, no one will doze off with this one being read aloud!

Dairy Queen by Catherinie Gilbert Murdock.

As I continue to read through books that people have been raving about, I encountered this entirely wonderful teen novel.  DJ is a teenager who feels as if her whole life has been taken over by caring for the family farm.  She isn’t sure where her life is headed, especially since she failed English the year before.  Then Brian Nelson, the quarterback for a rival football team gets sent by his coach to their farm to learn about working hard, and DJ slowly finds that she can talk with Brian more easily than with anyone else in her life.  As she learns to open up with Brian, DJ also begins to be more honest with herself about the troubles in her family and what she really wants in life.  And she definitely knows that she does not want to continue to do just what is expected of her. 

 Murdock captures Wisconsin and family farms in a wonderful way.  I had a great friend in high school who was a DJ, a tomboy who worked more than her share of hours on the family farm.  And like DJ, she struggled with obligations vs dreams. 

The quality of writing in this novel is lovely.  The quality of characterization lifts this far above other books that it could be compared to.   The author never gets in the way of the story, allowing the book to read easily.  It is like a scoop of homemade ice cream, that allows you to understand the work that is needed, be in awe of those who can do it, and is very satisfying at the end.  Lovely stuff.

Recommend to any girl at all.  Anyone will love it and recognize their own struggles with breaking free from expectations. 

Bringing Asha Home by Uma Krishnaswami, illustrated by Jamel Akib.

This is a picture book for older children which celebrates adoption.  Arun is celebrating Rakhi, the Hindu holiday special to siblings, and wishes that he had a little brother or sister.  Soon he finds out that his wish is coming true and his family is adopting a baby from India.  But the family faces many delays in Asha joining their family.  It is almost a year before Asha finally joins their family.

In the year that Arun has to wait for Asha to arrive, he experiences lots of genuine fears and feelings about his new sister.  It is well written and offers a real look at the ups and downs of an older sibling facing an adoption, especially an international one. 

Recommend this to families adopting, but also to teachers and others who would like to use it to discuss feelings or families.  It is the right length to use with first through third graders for reading aloud.