New Picture Books :

Updated Jan., 2010

Buying, Training & Caring for Your Dinosaur by Laura Joy Rennert

Dogs are delightful, cats are cute, and fish are fun--but the best pet of all is a DINOSAUR!  But how do you choose the one that's right for you?

The Clever Stick by John Lechner

The stick has always been clever: it solves difficult math problems, enjoys poetry, and appreciates the beauty of nature.  The one thing it CAN'T do is speak.  This story follows the most unlikely of heroes on a journey of self-discovery.

Creature A B C by Andrew Zuckerman

You'll love the striking animal photographs in Zuckerman's new book--part abecedarian, part guessing game!

Harry and Horsie by Katie Van Camp

When a boy named Harry sneaks out one night with his best friend Horsie to play with his Super-Duper-Bubble-Blooper, an out-of-this-world adventure begins.  Celebrate the power of friendship and imagination in this new picture book...

Look Out, Jeremy Bean! by Alice Schertle

Jeremy Bean has a problem--several, in fact.  He tries to do his best, but sometimes his best gets him into trouble.  If you're looking for adventure with some laughs along the way, spend some time with Jeremy Bean.

The Mitten by Jim Aylesworth

When a boy loses a mitten in the snow, a passing squirrel finds it's the perfect place to warm his toes. This rhyming take on a traditional story is sure to be a family favorite.

The Patterson Puppies and the Rainy Day by Leslie Patricelli

It's a rainy day and the Patterson puppies are bored!  If only it were sunny and warm, the could go to the beach.  But then Petra gets an idea--an indoor beach party!  See what kind of fun these rambunctious pups can think up...

Pigs Make Me Sneeze by Mo Willems

In the latest Elephant & Piggie book, Gerald believes he is allergic to his best friend.  Will he have to stay away from Piggie forever?

Pouch by David Ezra Stein

Little Joey starts to explore the world outside of mama's pouch, but there are lots of strange new animals out there...

Spot the Plot: A Riddle Book of Book Riddles by J. Patrick Lewis

Thirteen poems pose riddles that challenge readers to "name that book!"  Clues in the illustrations to lead young readers to the solutions. 

Zero is the Leaves on the Tree by Betsy Franco

Picture books about numbers generally go from 1 to 10.  The idea of zero is a bit more abstract, but this picture book communicates that concept in child-friendly terms:  "Zero is...the kites in the sky once the wind stops blowing." 

Fiction:

All the Broken Pieces by Ann Burg (a Booklist Starred Review)

Two years after being airlifted out of war-torn Vietnam, Matt Pin is still haunted:  by bombs that fell like black crows from the sky, by family--and the terrible secret--he left behind.  Now, inside a caring adoptive home in the United States, a series of events force him to choose between silence and candor, blame and forgiveness, fear and freedom. 

Bluestar's Prophecy by Erin Hunter

The Four Clans of wild cats have shared the forests for generations, but tensions are running high, and ThunderClan must assert its strength or risk falling prey to its power-hungry neighbors.

Born to Fly by Michael Ferrari

Bird McGill's fatherl takes her up in the planes he repairs, lets her take the controls, and encourages her dream of becoming a pilot. But a special bulletin disrupts her 11th birthday afternoon:  Japan has attacked the military base in Pearl Harbor, and Bird's world is turned upside down. 

Bystander by James Preller

Eric is the new kid in seventh grade.  Griffin wants to be his friend.  When you're new in town, it's hard to know who to hang out with--and who to avoid.  Griffin SEEMS cool, confident, and popular--but he always seems to be in the middle of bad things.  And if Griffin doesn't like you, you better watch your back--there might be a target on it...

The Great Death by John Smelcer (a Horn Book starred review)

The Great Death arrived with the man from down river, the one who came with the light-colored strangers and had little red spots covering his body. Thirteen-year-old Millie and her younger sister, Maura are fascinated by the guests, but soon sickness takes over.  As they watch the people they know and love die, the sisters find themselves alone in the cold Alaskan winter of 1917, struggling to overcome the obstacles nature sends their way.  A gripping and poignant story, made even more so because of its basis in fact.  

Mirrorscape by Mike Wilkes

In a world where all pleasures are severly restricted, Melkin Womper is apprenticed to a master painter where he discovers the Mirrorscape, a world inside paintings, and becomes entangled in a war between the restrictive Fifth Mystery and the rebels fighting to stop them.

Neil Armstrong is My Uncle & Other Lies Muscle Man McGinty Told Me by Nancy Marino

Muscle Man McGinty can certainly tell some whoppers, but this time he's done the unthinkable--he bragged that he can beat the entire block in a game of kickball! On Ramble Street, tough talk about kickball can't be ignored.  Tamara Ann Simpson can't wait to put Muscle Man in his place!

Slob by Ellen Potter (a School Library Journal Starred Review)

Twelve-year-old Owen Birnbaum is the fattest kid in school.  But he's also a genius who invents cool contraptions--like a TV that shows the past.  Something happened two years ago that Owen thinks he needs to see.  He's sure that if he can only get his TV to work, things will finally start to make  sense. 

War Games by Audrey Couloumbis (a Horn Book Starred Review)

For twelve-year-old Petros, World War II feels unreal and far away.  What's real is working in his papa's garden, playing marbles with his friends, and fighting with his older brother, Zola.  But when the Germans invade Greece, the war suddenly becomes impossibly close.  Overnight, neighbors become enemies.  People begin to keep secrets (Petros' family most of all).  And for the first time, Petros has the chance to show Zola that he's not just a little brother but that he can truly be counted on.  Soon what were just boys' games become matters of life and death as Petros and Zola each wonder if they, like their resistance fighter cousin, can make a difference.

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin (a School Library Journal and Booklist Starred Review)

In the valley of Fruitless Mountain, a young girl named Mini lives in a ramshackle hut with her family.  In the evenings, her father regales her with folktales of the Jade Dragon and the Old Man on the Moon, who knows all the answers to life's questions.  Inspired by these stories, Mini sets off on an adventure to find the Old Man on the Moon and ask him how she can change her family's fortune.