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112 pp.
| HarperCollins/Morrow
| October, 2009
|
TradeISBN 978-0-06-191301-3$19.99
(3)
4-6
Inspired by Andersen's "The Little Match Girl," Maguire originally penned this story for National Public Radio. He reimagines the match girl's fate as intertwined with that of a poor boy who wishes for a better future. The brief text effectively balances sorrow and hope. The compact volume's clean design includes crosshatched illustrations by Maguire set against green backgrounds.
80 pp.
| Morrow
| January, 2000
|
TradeISBN 0-688-15629-0$$19.95
(4)
4-6
A dizzying array of graphics, varied typefaces, and black-and-white photos compete in this energetic biography of tap dancing star Savion Glover. The main text, printed in small, hard-to-read type, alternates between Weber's discussion of Glover's rise from student to star and Glover's own first-person account of what tap means to him and how he passes on that heritage to the next generation.
32 pp.
| Morrow
| April, 2000
|
TradeISBN 0-688-11402-4$$15.95
|
LibraryISBN 0-688-11403-2$$15.89
(3)
K-3
In this retelling, the woodcutter's youngest son shares his lunch with a troll and is rewarded with a golden goose. Everyone touching the goose sticks tight, forming a ludicrous procession that makes the princess laugh. Acrylic and pencil illustrations depict round-faced children in a bucolic fairy-tale landscape.
32 pp.
| Morrow
| April, 2000
|
TradeISBN 0-688-16241-X$$15.95
|
LibraryISBN 0-688-16242-8$$15.89
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Cornelius Van Wright
&
Ying-Hwa Hu.
Jenna, who lives in a suburban Oklahoma neighborhood, is of Muscogee and Ojibway descent. She borrows jingles--metal cones--from four important women in her life, so that her jingle dress will have its own voice for her first powwow dance. Dance regalia and modern-day life are ably depicted in fluid watercolors. The text's folkloric style is sometimes at odds with the contemporary story. Glos.
176 pp.
| Morrow
| September, 1999
|
TradeISBN 0-688-15078-0$$17.00
(3)
4-6
Illustrated by
Amy Cordova.
Set in New Mexico's RÃo Grande valley, these five folktales and five original stories are rich, vibrant tales that enthrall even as they teach important life lessons. Five of the stories were previously published in an adult collection. A black-and-white illustration appears at each story's beginning, and a preface describes Anaya's sources and how he uses them. Glos.
(2)
1-3
Crafted with much thought as to the pacing required for the picture-book format, Pinkney's adaptation emphasizes the actions of the protagonists and omits the social commentary and philosophizing. The mesmerizing illustrations are a fitting interpretation of the story, and each spread is carefully composed so that it surrounds but does not overwhelm the text. A brief source note is included.
Reviewer: Mary M. Burns
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 1999
32 pp.
| Morrow
| April, 1999
|
TradeISBN 0-688-15665-7$$16.00
|
LibraryISBN 0-688-15666-5$$15.93
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Melissa Sweet.
The Marching Bat Band is led by a drum majorette followed by four piccolo players marching two by two, nine flute players three by three, all the way up to one hundred tuba players in ten rows of ten. Marching mice carry flags that provide the mathematical equation for each set of musicians. The humorous rhyming text is illustrated with detailed watercolors that show 385 band members in all their glory.
(3)
K-3
Organized by habitat (forests, mountains, grasslands, coasts), this brief but informative overview explores the diverse regions and wildlife of South America. Each double-page spread features a close-up, full-bleed color photograph and boxed text that describes either a specific species (tapir, guanaco) or group of animals (birds, monkeys). Though some of the enlarged photos are grainy, they are nonetheless striking.
294 pp.
| Morrow
| May, 1999
|
TradeISBN 0-688-14976-6$$22.00
(3)
4-6
Books of Wonder series.
Illustrated by
John R. Neill.
Despite the glossy paper used in this replica of the book's first edition, this twelfth book in the Oz series has a suitably old-fashioned charm resulting from the inclusion of the original black-and-white sketches and full-color plates, as well as a traditional typeface. An afterword by the publisher provides background information.
269 pp.
| Morrow
| September, 1999
|
TradeISBN 0-688-14977-4$$22.00
(3)
4-6
Books of Wonder series.
Illustrated by
John R. Neill.
While planning a birthday present for Ozma, Dorothy and the Wizard travel to the Gillikin forests and encounter the evil Nome King. This replica of the thirteenth Oz book will please fans. The large, old-fashioned typeface and numerous illustrations--black-and-white line drawings and color plates--will help transport readers to the beloved fantasy world. An afterword provides some background information.
32 pp.
| Morrow
| May, 1999
|
TradeISBN 0-688-15192-2$$16.00
|
LibraryISBN 0-688-15193-0$$15.93
(3)
PS
Illustrated by
Kady MacDonald Denton.
A boy tells his father what he would do if he were the father, and a girl tells her mother what she would do as mother. Lively illustrations, reminiscent of Sendak's early work, alternate between the real world, in which the parent is caring for the child, and the child's imaginings. Although not entirely original, the books neatly capture the things that matter to young children.
32 pp.
| Morrow
| April, 1999
|
TradeISBN 0-688-15190-6$$16.00
|
LibraryISBN 0-688-15191-4$$15.93
(3)
PS
Illustrated by
Kady MacDonald Denton.
A boy tells his father what he would do if he were the father, and a girl tells her mother what she would do as mother. Lively illustrations, reminiscent of Sendak's early work, alternate between the real world, in which the parent is caring for the child, and the child's imaginings. Although not entirely original, the books neatly capture the things that matter to young children.
40 pp.
| Morrow
| May, 1999
|
TradeISBN 0-688-14674-0$$16.00
|
LibraryISBN 0-688-14675-9$$15.93
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Erick Ingraham.
Henry the high-stepping feline returns in a fifth adventure. At the annual country fair, Henry hopes for a blue ribbon, but the other competitors are larger and more impressive. After rescuing a lost toddler, however, Henry is a hero and wins a special ribbon. Ingraham's illustrations make Henry's extraordinary accomplishments believable, and despite the contrived situations, his charm seems ageless.
(3)
1-3
Illustrated by
Lynn Munsinger.
In the fourth book about the cheery Gator Girls, Allie and Amy prepare for a Halloween costume contest between the boys and the girls, and they restore a lost pet to its rightful owner. Munsinger's characteristic watercolor and ink illustrations are as light and amusing as the story, which will satisfy young readers as they reinforce their new reading skills.
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Ed Martinez.
Carlson explains that her story combines several Latino traditions surrounding this holiday. For their Three Kings' Day celebration, Anita and her brothers take part in a parade, go door to door looking for the baby Jesus, and leave out shoes for the Three Kings to fill with gifts. Plot and character development are less important than the enumeration of holiday customs, but the warm text and oil paintings give the book some depth.
(3)
4-6
Illustrated by
Alan Tiegreen.
Although it's been fifteen years since Ramona Forever, only two months have passed for the heroine herself, now armed for fourth grade with news of her new baby sister, Roberta. Cleary here seems intent upon making Ramona (and Beezus) more typical than individualized, and while fans may welcome this Ramona redux, it's disappointing to see how innocuous she's become.
Reviewer: Roger Sutton
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 1999
144 pp.
| Morrow
| June, 1999
|
TradeISBN 0-688-15740-8$$15.00
(3)
4-6
Illustrated by
True Kelley.
Fifty simple (and cool) experiments, tricks, and activities are presented in accessible prose and playful black-and-white illustrations. The book teaches readers how to burn a candle under water, make square-shaped hard-boiled eggs, and create a bomb from a sandwich bag. All the activities require household objects, and the scientific concepts behind each experiment are clearly explained in a section called "Insider Information." Ind.
126 pp.
| Morrow
| June, 1999
|
TradeISBN 0-688-14660-0$$17.00
(3)
4-6
Illustrated by
Alan Tiegreen.
The authors have gathered songs (music included), games, and riddles that are sure bets for entertaining children on long trips. The material is heavily illustrated with cartoony sketches; the instructions are complete and easy to follow. Chapters include license plate games, writing games, and memory games. Much of the material exists in other collections, but this is a cheerful volume with a place on both library and home shelves.
32 pp.
| Morrow
| April, 1999
|
TradeISBN 0-688-13165-4$$16.00
|
LibraryISBN 0-688-13166-2$$15.93
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
K. Y. Craft.
This sophisticated retelling, set in the Middle Ages, places King Midas in a sumptuous palace and portrays him as a goodhearted, devoted father with an unfortunate obsession for gold. The elaborate oil-over-watercolor illustrations show the wondrous, tragic effects of the golden touch, as Midas's bedcovers, his garden, and then his daughter turn gradually to gold before the reader's eyes.